It’s a new year, but the same trash troubles remain for city residents. This week, the Department of Public Works (DPW) missed a key deadline to create its plan for returning to weekly recycling.

“Clearly, there's no sense of urgency,” says Councilman Yitzy Schleifer.

The rolled back services, brought on by pandemic related staffing shortages, were only meant to be temporary.

As a result, there are now blue bins stuffed to the brim and cardboard boxes piling up along curbs across the city. The problem is persisting despite city sanitation code requiring DPW to collect recycling weekly.

“Therefore, really, they owe the taxpayers a refund,” said Schliefer.

Schleifer is now demanding DPW Director Jason Mitchell come up with a solution.