More Trouble In Mount Vernon: Recycling, Garbage Pickup Halted After Sanitation Trucks Fail Inspection
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Recycling and garbage collection was canceled in a Westchester County city after every sanitation truck failed inspection.
Residents were left with a mess.
There was lots of recycling along the sidewalks of Mount Vernon and while it was pick-up day for paper and cardboard on Wednesday, the stuff wasn't going anywhere, CBS2's Cindy Hsu reported.
"All the recycling that was supposed to be collected today, we're going to ask that people to take it back in and put it out with the regular recycling on next week's schedule," Department of Public Works Commissioner Mark Ederer said.
Recycling and garbage collection was canceled after all eight functional sanitation trucks failed safety inspections and were pulled out of service.
"Nobody wants a dirty and smelly neighborhood. It reflects bad on Mount Vernon and Mount Vernon is a beautiful place," resident Yves Lovinsky said.
"They like to see it go away. They don't want to see it there when they come home from work or every 15 minutes you look out your window and it's still sitting there. That's not really cool at all," resident Brenda Ramsey said.
MORE: Another Mount Vernon Official Runs Afoul Of The Law
Wednesday's debacle was just the latest in a string of mishaps.
On Tuesday, a runaway garbage truck crashed into a house on Elm Street. The city said three sanitation workers were behind the truck loading garbage and no one was behind the wheel when the truck malfunctioned and slammed into the house. No one was hurt.
Last month, just before a snowstorm, Latex gloves were found stuffed into the fuel tanks of snow plows and garbage trucks. Some local leaders said it was an act of sabotage.
City leaders have been battling it out against each other. Meanwhile, residents just want their recycling and trash picked up.
"It sounds disgusting because, you know, you pay tax so you need back your service," resident Rohan Robb said.
City officials said they hope to have some of the sanitation trucks back in service Thursday for garbage pick-up.
