SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — It’s time to talk trash! Monday, June 5, marked the first day of the City of Syracuse’s upgraded sanitation service with new trash carts.

As the sun came up Monday morning, city sanitation workers geared up at the DPW Garage on Canal Street and hit the road for trash pickup using the new semi-automated collection method, similar to systems used across the nation.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh tagged along for the ride.

“We haven’t done this before. The one thing I’ve emphasized is we’re going to learn. One way or the other we’re going to learn a lot today, and it’s okay if it doesn’t go perfectly.“

MAYOR BEN WALSH, (I) CITY OF SYRACUSE

Last week, those new crash carts were rolled out and delivered to about 6,800 properties in the first phase of the program.

The Mayor’s Office says that of the households receiving new carts — which is about 20 percent of residential properties in the city — neighbors will be required to use them.

The remaining 33,000 properties will receive their trash carts later in the year in phase two of the program. Mayor Walsh says that target date is early Fall 2023.

Information gained in the first phase of the program will be used to improve the implementation of the full citywide rollout. Covered recycling carts will be introduced in 2024.

This new system involves “tipper arms” which will help the sanitation workers with pickup duty.

Mayor Walsh believes this will help prevent sanitation workers from getting hurt on the job, in addition to helping keep neighborhoods cleaner.

“The old system doesn’t work. It’s bad for our workers. Our workers compensation rates are really high, there’s a lot of injuries, and it’s bad for neighborhoods. You can see litter around many neighborhoods… and so change was needed. It’s going to be hard, but we’re all going to work together on it. We’re going to learn along the way and we’re going to have a better city because of it.”

MAYOR BEN WALSH, (I) CITY OF SYRACUSE

Setout instructions:

Your cart should be placed at the end of your driveway or between the sidewalk and the street. The lid must be securely closed at the time of collection.

Carts can be placed as early as 6:00 p.m. on the day before your collection day and removed from the curb no later than 7:00 p.m. on your collection day.

  • Bagged waste must be put in carts ONLY
    • Waste outside of carts is considered illegal set-out and can be cited and fined – $350.00
  • Carts must be stored on the side of or behind the house/garage or in the garage
  • For an item that does not fit in a trash cart, including tires and furniture, you can call Cityline at 315-448-CITY to request a bulk pickup
    • Residents allowed four bulk pickups per year
  • Additional bags of trash outside of the cart are not allowed and will be cited as an illegal setout
    • Illegal setout may incur a fine of $350.00

IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE AND YOU’RE STILL UNSURE OF WHAT PHASE YOU FALL UNDER OR YOU STILL HAVEN’T RECEIVED YOUR NEW CART, YOU CAN CALL THE CITY DIRECTLY AT (315) 448-2489.

You can also find more information HERE.