NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)- Even before Hurricane Ida, trash collection was already an issue and now as a result of the storm, tons of trash and debris are on the streets.
Ramsey Green, Deputy CAO of Infrastructure stated, “We really urge the public’s patience with getting this debris and out and trash out of the city.”
Green appeared today with sanitation head Matt Torri to speak to what’s on the lips of many a New Orleanian in the wake of Hurricane Ida, and that’s the amount of trash and debris on the streets, in many neighborhoods. Over the weekend the mayor’s office issued a statement saying, in part, “I want our residents to know that my team and I are doing everything possible to build capacity to rid our streets of trash for good.”
That building capacity means getting more trash trucks and men on the road.
Torri added, “We have our emergency procurement supplemental solid waste opening this evening. We are looking forward to seeing what that yields and getting support on all of our routes.”
For now, the city has ceased all recycling and asks that solid waste, like household garbage is only put in trash cans and only debris and vegetation is put in garbage bags. The problem in many areas is that the cans are full, and therefore the bags are garbage as well, but getting both now outsizes the city’s capacity.
According to Torri, “If we picked up the carts as well as bags that were every household location right now, it wouldn’t take us 3 times longer than what’s it currently taking us. it might take us 6 times longer which means we won’t get back to a certain area for even longer.”
At the City’s Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board the director, Dr. Claudia Riegel, stated that while rats infesting the garbage sitting on the streets is not a current situation that is out of control, she did offer this:
“For the folks that already have the bags next to garbage can with food waste, spray it down with a 10% bleach solution. There aren’t many very good rodent repellents, but bleach is really good at it.”
