NYC Sanitation Department exploring use of drones to enforce new trash rules, reports say

New York’s Staten Island. An all-seeing eye in the sky may soon catch New Yorkers who disregard the city’s trash regulations.

According to Gothamist, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is thinking of using drones to help enforce new regulations aimed at keeping trash off New York City streets in all five boroughs.

The technology could detect illicit dumpers, ghost cars, and people who are not following the city’s new mandated containerization laws and later set-out times, according to Joshua Goodman, a Sanitation Department official, who spoke to Gothamist.

When there is trash on the same street every day, how does that feel? When a ghost car is parked on the same block every day, how does that feel? “Gothamist,” Goodman said.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone held those who are lowering your standard of living accountable and told them, “No, you don’t get away with dirtying these neighborhoods?” “You can’t just leave your personal belongings in the parking lane forever,” he continued.

However, a Sanitation spokesman told the New York Post that the agency is still in the early stages of outlining its plan, suggesting that the possible enforcement drones—which could also be used to perform routine building maintenance—won’t be arriving anytime soon.

The spokesperson told The Post, “This is really just in the early planning stages and is very preliminary.”However, we are looking into the potential applications of this technology, such as building maintenance inspections and the implementation of fundamental cleanliness regulations.

New NYC trash rules

In an attempt to cut down on the amount of time waste spent on city sidewalks, New York City instituted later set-out times for residential and business trash, recycling, and composting on April 1, 2023.

In the past, garbage could be dropped off at the curb for pickup in any major American city starting at 4 p.m. the day before your scheduled pickup.

Residents are now required to wait until 6 p.m. to dispose of their trash due to the new regulations.

Additionally, starting of November 12, 2024, residents must use garbage cans with tight-fitting lids that are 55 gallons or less instead of placing trash bags directly on the curb.

All garbage must be disposed of in official NYC Bins that are made for automated pickup by June 2026; city dwellers must buy the bins themselves.