Going On Three Months

The garbage can that cannot be emptied continues.



Today is Tuesday - trash and recycling pick up day - so an observation, in chronological order (and yes the white plastic "shroud", hanging over the can is the same shown in the post below on July 8 - five days ago, including a garbage pick up day -







These first three photos above were taken at 7:16am and 7:17am July 13 before garbage or recycling pick up has come through.


This photo is at 10:29am after recycling pick up has come through, but before garbage crew. Note recycling bin over turned (stuff in it in previous photo).


These two photos at 10:56am are after the garbage crew has come through and the mystery shroud has disappeared!!!! Ah, but those three white trash bags that have been there since May 25 - seven weeks ago - are still there!!!!!

The Can That Won't Be Emptied

While I can not offer empirical proof to satisfy the cynic, administrator or those who would say "it's living in the city", my general impression is that the round green garbage "can" with no lid on it in the center area of the picture below has not been emptied since before March 26, 2010 - going on three months!


March 26, 2010 (not sure exact date as calendar function worked wrong but picture is in a download batch from March 26) The can is full - black trash bag is visible.




April 20, 2010 - Three plus weeks later - it might have been emptied but if you look closely, a black garbage bag is still at the top of the can with no lid. This is on a Tuesday - trash and recycling pick up day, before any crews have come through the alley. i hav eheard some DPW people say that the trash/recycling will not get picked up if it is on private property as here where it is all on the lighter colored concrete parking pad.



April 27, 2010 A week later, there is another black trash bag on top of the full can with no lid. This is on a Tuesday.


May 11, 2010 Two weeks later, the bag on top is gone but the black trash bag (and all below) are still there. Tuesday.





Above (blue car on right, silver ahead) was taken May 20, 2010. A week and a half later, looks the same. Tuesday.


May 25, 2010 - white garbage bags appear on top. Tuesday.



Above (blue car on right) is June 6, 2010. Three white garbage bags remain on top of the black bag. Sunday.




Above (black car on right, silver car ahead) is June 15, 2010. Those three white bags are still there 9 days later. Tuesday.





On July 8, 2010 - someone has felt the need to shroud the can in mystery - still full underneath though. Thursday.

Rats Do Eat Plastic

Here are a few examples of rats eating plastic - rats have eaten holes into these garbage and recycling cans to get at food inside. Holes like this tell us that there are regular and consistent food sources in the cans - the cans are being left out with garbage in them for extended days. The recycling can with the rat hole indicates that the recycling materials in this can are often not washed very well - if they had been cleaned the rats wouldn't be eating the plastic to get in.

All the photos are in our alley.

Welcome To "My" Alley

Welcome to "my" alley. Just another alley but it is the one I have. This is a relatively clean day in the alley - March 18, 2009 - now March 18, 2009, was a Wednesday so one might wonder why are garbage and recycling cans in the alley when pick-up is Tuesday and Friday?......... perhaps they didn't bring the containers in.. perhaps they have them out early...





This next photo was also taken on a Wednesday, January 20, 2010. Not as clean.... Garbage on the ground to the left and in the middle of the alley as well as trash out in bags rather than all in containers as required by DC law. I think the Tuesday pick up had yet to happen.





And then there is the garbage by the apartment building - hard to tell if it is from the apartment building, illegal dumping or a neighbor too lazy to call for bulk pick-up. Photo taken May 22, 2009.