New York City generates approximately 44 million pounds of waste daily. The DSNY collects about 24 million pounds from residential sources, employing around 7,200 workers during the day and operating more than 2,000 garbage trucks at night.
Additionally, around 4,000 private trucks from 250 sanitation companies manage commercial waste, including waste from over 11,000 restaurants citywide. Despite workers putting in 10-14 hour shifts, six days a week, the high restaurant density, heavy traffic, and limited parking in Manhattan make waste collection especially challenging.
