A history of New York City’s solid waste management in photographs
By the nineteenth century, New York City was persistently and famously filthy. While other urban centers had begun to clean up their streets, approaching vessels could still smell New York far out to sea. Yet, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) was founded in 1881 as the Department of Street Cleaning and became one of the first sanitation agencies in the world that democratically cleaned and picked up snow from every street, regardless of socioeconomic class or neighborhood. One of the Department’s first Commissioners, Colonel George E. Waring, Jr., pioneered such current practices as recycling, street sweeping, and a dedicated uniformed cleaning and collection force called the White Wings.
Today, the New York City Department of Sanitation is the largest sanitation department in the world, and the only department with both an artist-in-residence and an anthropologist-in-residence. Not only does the DSNY continue to pick up waste and snow, it is also integral as first responders in urban disasters, such as 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy.
This is an abbreviated history via archival photographs of NYC’s municipal waste collection history.
Ragpickers and Gleaners: Labour before Sanitation
Garbage gleaner, Lower West Side, New York City, 1915. Lewis Wickes Hine. 
Washing the streets on a hot day. 1900. Artist: George Williams 
Rag cart. (1896). Photo: Alice Austen. NYPL. 
Leading a scow with refuse ; Sorting the rags and other articles of value under the old-fashioned dumping-board. (1897) NYPL 
A tenement gleaner, New York City (1900-1937). Lewis Wickes Hines. NYPL. 
Thompson Street, the home of the ragpicker. (1905). NYPL/ 
Ragpickers court, Mulberry Street, New York. (1882). NYPL> 
Arrested tag-pickers gathered in City Hall Park, New York. Wood engraving, 1867. Artist: Granger.
Garbage gleaner, Lower West Side, New York City, 1915. Lewis Wickes Hine.
Washing the streets on a hot day. 1900. Artist: George Williams
Rag cart. (1896). Photo: Alice Austen. NYPL.
Leading a scow with refuse ; Sorting the rags and other articles of value under the old-fashioned dumping-board. (1897) NYPL
A tenement gleaner, New York City (1900-1937). Lewis Wickes Hines. NYPL.
Thompson Street, the home of the ragpicker. (1905). NYPL/
Ragpickers court, Mulberry Street, New York. (1882). NYPL>
Arrested tag-pickers gathered in City Hall Park, New York. Wood engraving, 1867. Artist: Granger.
Streets before and after Sanitation
The June 22, 1895, edition of Harper’s Weekly compared photos of the same street corners two years earlier to show what an incredible transformation street cleaning had effected. Via the New York Public Library. 
No info. 
Trash piled up on Varick Street in 1893 New York City, before sanitation reform.Harper’s Weekly 
Times Square with snow piles – 1918. From DSNY.
The June 22, 1895, edition of Harper’s Weekly compared photos of the same street corners two years earlier to show what an incredible transformation street cleaning had effected. Via the New York Public Library.
No info.
Trash piled up on Varick Street in 1893 New York City, before sanitation reform.Harper’s Weekly
Times Square with snow piles – 1918. From DSNY.
Early Department of Sanitation: The White Wings
Recruitment poster. Circa 1930. DSNY. 
White Wings assemble. n.d. Photo DSNY. 
Parade of “White Wings”, 7/8/14 (LOC). Bain News Service. 
White Wings march. n.d. Photo DSNY. 
New York City sanitation dept. employee sweeping street, ca. 1910. 
Street sweeper in traffic, early 20th century photo. Photo courtesy DSNY. 
A street sweeper in New York City, ca. 1900. From http://www.dsnyoralhistoryarchive.org
Recruitment poster. Circa 1930. DSNY.
White Wings assemble. n.d. Photo DSNY.
Parade of “White Wings”, 7/8/14 (LOC). Bain News Service.
White Wings march. n.d. Photo DSNY.
New York City sanitation dept. employee sweeping street, ca. 1910.
Street sweeper in traffic, early 20th century photo. Photo courtesy DSNY.
A street sweeper in New York City, ca. 1900. From http://www.dsnyoralhistoryarchive.org
Barren Island, Brooklyn and Corona, Queens: Early NYC dumps
Corona Dump, Queens, NY New York University Faculty Digital Archive. While the photo is undated, it presumably had to have been taken between 1920 (the year the first loco was built) and 1934 (the year the Corona Dump closed). The caption for the photo reads: “Black and white photograph of the landfilling process. Waste was brought to the site by rail. Sanitation workers are posing.” 
Barren Island Fish Oil Manufacturing 1871 
Brooklyn Ash Removal Co. Incinerator Barren Island, Brooklyn, NY. Photo from Brooklyn Public Library archives. n.d. Approx 1800’s 
“Loading a Scow with Refuse.” 1897. 
Barren Island -[Horse disposal plant in Brooklyn.(1931) Photo: Percy Loomis Sperr. NYPL
Corona Dump, Queens, NY New York University Faculty Digital Archive. While the photo is undated, it presumably had to have been taken between 1920 (the year the first loco was built) and 1934 (the year the Corona Dump closed). The caption for the photo reads: “Black and white photograph of the landfilling process. Waste was brought to the site by rail. Sanitation workers are posing.”
Barren Island Fish Oil Manufacturing 1871
Brooklyn Ash Removal Co. Incinerator Barren Island, Brooklyn, NY. Photo from Brooklyn Public Library archives. n.d. Approx 1800’s
“Loading a Scow with Refuse.” 1897.
Barren Island -[Horse disposal plant in Brooklyn.(1931) Photo: Percy Loomis Sperr. NYPL
Garbage Strike: 1911
Waring’s “White Wings Under Police Protection.” During strike. Photo courtesy DSNY. 
From 1911 strike- “scabs” 
November 1911, during the garbage strike. 
“Breaking the garbage strike at $5 day” 1911. 
Garbage at Essex and Hester Sts (before School 26) circa 1911, garbage collectors strike.
Waring’s “White Wings Under Police Protection.” During strike. Photo courtesy DSNY.
From 1911 strike- “scabs”
November 1911, during the garbage strike.
“Breaking the garbage strike at $5 day” 1911.
Garbage at Essex and Hester Sts (before School 26) circa 1911, garbage collectors strike.
Department of Sanitation, early to mid twentieth century
New York’s Sanitation Department’s quarterly magazine called “Sweep.” 1960s. Image courtesy DSNY.
Sanitation Department clearing show, 1908. Photo courtesy DSNY.
Sanitation crew 1930s. Photo DSNY.
The DSNY bought 165 of the restyled Roto-Pacs in 1953; by ’57 they had purchased over 1,000 units mage from http://www.classicrefusetrucks.com/.
A Sicard Sanivan being demonstrated for the Department of Sanitation, New York City (DSNY) in 1949. Even though the department had been using mechanized trucks for at least a decade prior to the date this was taken, packer trucks were still a relatively new commodity in the United States, as this show in front of City Hall indicates. Image from http://www.classicrefusetrucks.com/
Reviewing Equipment. 1930s. Photo DSNY.
A float from the 1940s. Photo courtesy DSNY.
A mid-1950s campaign to prevent littering in New York included a gigantic waste basket in Times Square.
A street sweeper, or “San Man,” in Midtown Manhattan in 1964. Via National Geographic.
Sanitation Police, New York City 1963. Baltimore Sun.
Sweeping in Times Square during the 1960s. Photo courtesy DSNY.
Garbage Strike: 1968
February 01, 1968. 
1968 New York Mayor John Lindsay Surveys Sanitation Strike. Wire Photo. 
End of 1968 Strike. 2/10/68 UP Telephoto. 
1968 New York Sanitation Strike E 100th. The Wire. 
1968 New York Sanitation Worker Strike. The Wire. 
The scene in downtown Manhattan during a sanitation workers’ strike, 1968. Getty Images.
February 01, 1968.
1968 New York Mayor John Lindsay Surveys Sanitation Strike. Wire Photo.
End of 1968 Strike. 2/10/68 UP Telephoto.
1968 New York Sanitation Strike E 100th. The Wire.
1968 New York Sanitation Worker Strike. The Wire.
The scene in downtown Manhattan during a sanitation workers’ strike, 1968. Getty Images.
Fresh Kills Landfill
A view of Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, circa 1950. The dump ground closed in 2001. 
Solid waste loaded onto barges destined for Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins. 
Barges transport waste to Fresh Kills in 1973. 
Docks at Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins. 
Fresh kills, 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins. 
Fresh Kills, 1973. Photo by Chester Higgins 
A pile at Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins. 
Steam rises as a compactor rolls over freshly dumped garbage at Fresh Kills Landfill, 2001, photo by Michael Falco. 
A rendering of the Fresh Kills Park project, currently underway on the site of New York City’s former Staten Island landfill.
A view of Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, circa 1950. The dump ground closed in 2001.
Solid waste loaded onto barges destined for Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins.
Barges transport waste to Fresh Kills in 1973.
Docks at Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins.
Fresh kills, 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins.
Fresh Kills, 1973. Photo by Chester Higgins
A pile at Fresh Kills. 05/1973. Photo by Chester Higgins.
Steam rises as a compactor rolls over freshly dumped garbage at Fresh Kills Landfill, 2001, photo by Michael Falco.
A rendering of the Fresh Kills Park project, currently underway on the site of New York City’s former Staten Island landfill.
Artist-in-Residence at the Department of Sanitation: Mierle Laderman Ukeles
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Touch Sanitation, 1977–1980. 
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Touch Sanitation, 1977–1980. 
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. The Social Mirror, 1983.
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Touch Sanitation, 1977–1980.
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. Touch Sanitation, 1977–1980.
Mierle Laderman Ukeles. The Social Mirror, 1983.
9/11
DSNY clean-up following September 11, 2001 disaster. From NYU Faculty Digital ARchive & New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project. 
Worker combing through debris from the World Trade Center at the Fresh Kills landfill. From United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. 
Photograph taken from New York State Museum, Albany, NY. of sign found at ground zero. Photo From NYU-New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project 
Freshkills post 9-11. From NYU-New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project. 
Thirty employees from the Emergency Response Division and from the Fresh Kills Landfill Unit were awarded Unit Citations for their involvement in the nation’s largest cleanup and recovery effort in the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy. Photo from DSNY Family.
DSNY clean-up following September 11, 2001 disaster. From NYU Faculty Digital ARchive & New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project.
Worker combing through debris from the World Trade Center at the Fresh Kills landfill. From United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Photograph taken from New York State Museum, Albany, NY. of sign found at ground zero. Photo From NYU-New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project
Freshkills post 9-11. From NYU-New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project.
Thirty employees from the Emergency Response Division and from the Fresh Kills Landfill Unit were awarded Unit Citations for their involvement in the nation’s largest cleanup and recovery effort in the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy. Photo from DSNY Family.
Hurricane Sandy
Post-Sandy “short dump” at Jacob Riis Park. November 13, 2012. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY. 
Post-Sandy “short dump” at Jacob Riis Park. November 13, 2012. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY. 
November 3, five days after Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY. 
Clearing trees the day after Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY. 
Debris in Long Branch (Allison Joyce, Getty Images).
Post-Sandy “short dump” at Jacob Riis Park. November 13, 2012. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY.
Post-Sandy “short dump” at Jacob Riis Park. November 13, 2012. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY.
November 3, five days after Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY.
Clearing trees the day after Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Michael Anton, DSNY.
Debris in Long Branch (Allison Joyce, Getty Images).
Photo Repositories:
DSNY on flickr
Unofficial fan group of DSNY on flickr
NYU-New York Department of Sanitation Museum Project
Chasing Sanitation
If any captions need to be corrected, or if you have other photographs or repositories to add, please contact Max Liboiron at max [dot] liboiron [at] nyu [dot] edu.
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