New York City Department of Sanitation

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for garbage collection, recycling collection, street cleaning, and snow removal. The DSNY is the primary operator of the New York City waste management system. The DSNY motto "New York's Strongest" was coined by Harry Nespoli, long-time President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 831, to describe the Department of Sanitation's football team in the late 1970s to early 1980s. The section of Worth Street between Centre and Baxter Streets in Manhattan is named "Avenue of the Strongest" in their honor. History Prior to 1881, a Street Cleaning Bureau functioned under the New York City Police Department. However, streets were filthy, filled with mud, rubbish, ash, and horse urine and manure. On May 29, 1881, all the bureau's books and papers were transferred from the police headquarters in anticipation of the passage of a law creating a new administrative structure and the separate Department of Street Cleaning. On May 30, the bill enacting the Department of Street Cleaning was signed by Governor of New York Alonzo B. Cornell. However, Henry H. Gorringe, who had been asked to serve as the inaugural commissioner by Mayor William R. Grace, had been hoping for a different bill and declined the position, stating that it was a "delusion and snare from beginning to end", and that he would have had to answer to "five different areas of city government – the Mayoralty, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, the Board of Health, the Police Board, and the Department of Street Cleaning," with the latter having the least effective power. Instead, several days later, James S. Coleman became the first commissioner, and held the position for eight years. In 1894, Col. George E. Waring, Jr. became commissioner, and he was credited with substantially cleaning the streets, as well as pioneering recycling, street sweeping, and the establishment of a uniformed cleaning and collection force. The department's name was changed to the Department of Sanitation in 1929.