Thursday, May 1, 2008

PACK RATS ARE BUSTED
Vehicles Seized From Local Culprits For Taking Recyclables

by Robert Pozarycki
Scofflaws who tried to remove discarded recyclables from curbsides in Astoria, Bushwick, Corona and Maspeth were among a host of violators summonsed by the Sanitation Department during the month of March, it was announced.

A list of the violators—who were fined and had their vehicles impounded by the agency—included the following:

• Pedro Rivas of Chestnut Street in Cypress Hills lost his 1991 blue Ford van for unlawfully removing one cubic yard of metal recyclables near his home on Mar. 1.

• Carlos A. Abad of 27th Avenue in Astoria lost his 1993 white Isuzu van for unlawfully removing metal recyclables in front of a location on Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick on Mar. 4.

• Jose Chavarria of Lincoln Avenue in Cypress Hills lost his 1992 white Ford Econoline van for unlawfully removing metal recyclables from the side of a location on Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg on Mar. 5.

• Miguel A. Hernandez of 84th Street in Ozone Park lost his 1988 blue Ford F150 for unlawfully removing metal recyclables in front of a location on Pacific Street in Brooklyn on Mar. 10.

• Marcial S. Martinez of Graham Avenue in East Williamsburg lost his 1995 blue Ford Econoline 250 van for unlawfully removing metal recyclables in front of a location on 59th Drive in Maspeth on Mar. 4.

• David DeJesus of 49th Avenue in Corona lost his 1998 white UD truck for unlawfully removing one cubic yard of metal recyclables at a location on 29th Street in Astoria on Mar. 14.

• Cristian Marin-Rios of Valentine Avenue in the Bronx lost his 1998 white Dodge van for unlawfully removing three cubic yards of metal recyclables in front of a location on 85th Street in East Elmhurst on Mar. 25.

• Jose Bido Perez of 34th Avenue in Corona lost his 1998 white Dodge van for unlawfully removing 2 1/2 cubic yards of metal recyclables in front of a location on 45th Avenue in Corona on Mar. 25.

• Luis Montalvo of Waterview Place in Lynbrook, L.I. lost his 1998 green Dodge Caravan for unlawfully removing metal recyclables in front of a location on 68th Road in Forest Hills on Mar. 25.

Twenty-three other individuals were also caught for illegal removals by the Sanitation Department last month at locations in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.

As noted, the summonses were issued by members of the Sanitation Department’s Illegal Dumping Task Force, a unit of plainclothes Sanitation police officers who, among their other duties, patrol areas where illegal removal of recyclables are known to occur.

Under Local Law No. 50 of 2007, which was signed into law by Mayor Michael Bloomberg last October, anyone who takes discarded recyclables left along the curb for collection by the Sanitation Department will be subject to fines ranging from $100 to $2,000 for a first-time offender, and $5,000 for second and repeat offenders within a 12-month period.

“One of the task force’s main priorities is to stop the unlawful removal of metal recyclables from city streets by individuals seeking to make a profit out of curbside recycling collections, which is the department’s sole responsibility,” observed Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty.

For more information on the enforcement program, call the city’s 311 hotline or visit www.nyc.gov/dsny.