Queens resident says "We don't know what else to do" about litter ravaging his neighborhood
NEW YORK -- For lifelong local Rodrigo Salazar, the walk to the subway in Queens, is an obstacle course. Construction debris, sports equipment, and a washing machine are some of the items he's seen discarded.
"Not only are you dodging garbage on the floor, but you're dodging fruit flies, so you've got to go into traffic," he said.
For years, he says, a maze of litter and household waste has blighted the area where Jackson Heights meets Woodside near the 65th Street station. With standing water, pungent odors, and rat burrows beneath the BQE, he worries for his neighbors' health.
"There's no trash cans in the area," he said.
"We're like forgotten citizens"
Salazar said the trash begets trash, solidifying the street's reputation as a dumping ground.
"We love this neighborhood. It's very diverse, people from all over the world, Latin America, Bangladesh, India. We all get along really well, but we're like forgotten citizens because we live amongst trash," he said.
Salazar said he and his neighbors have contacted the MTA and elected officials in addition to signing a petition and posting complaints online.
"We don't know what else to do. We don't want to live like this," he said.
Lawmakers urge government, community to work together
The MTA told CBS New York it is not responsible for maintaining the area above ground.
"The Department of Sanitation is extremely familiar with this area, having engaged in 26 special cleanups there in 2024 alone, half of which were part of interagency operations related to homeless encampments. We also monitor this area for illegal dumping, and dumpers should know that when -- not if -- they are caught, the fine starts at $4,000, and their vehicle will be impounded," the Department of Sanitation said in a statement.
City Council Member Julie Won argues it will take more than posted warnings against dumping, calling on both government and community to their part.
"It really is about being a good neighbor," she said.
"Clean, accessible streets are a priority for me and my office. We have sent the Department of Sanitation a number of times and worked with community groups to sweep the area along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. We've also worked with Sanitation to crack down on illegal dumping. Still, the trash situation there persists. We've pushed the State agencies that own the land to do their part, and we will continue to do so until the area is clean," said Council member Shekar Krishnan, whose district borders the area.
Assemblyman Steven Raga had a lot to say on the issue.
"We urge constituents to report illegal dumping using New York City's 311 system or to our office so we can report it to DSNY. DSNY has been great with cleaning up the illegal dumping once reported, so it's really important that when illegal dumping is seen, it is reported," Raga said.
"As for enforcement, we have had conversations about dumping cameras, not in the surrounding area, but most of the dumping is not done by vehicles, so we're still working on finding a creative solution to that issue," he added. "In the meantime, we'll continue to host community cleanups throughout the district, continue to urge constituents to report dumping themselves via 311 or to our office, and do outreach to both small business and residents to ensure we're all doing our part in to keep our neighborhoods clean."
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