The New York City’s Department of Sanitation finished printing its authorized Chinese brochures and starting this week will distribute them to the public. Department of Sanitation officials said the brochures would be given to Chinese businesses and residents to help them understand sanitation regulations and avoid getting tickets due to unfamiliarity with the regulations.
The current printing of the Chinese brochures contain recently modified regulations in the Department of Sanitation, including new pick-up times for trash, the handling of garbage, collections of special items such as used batteries, and regulations for businesses. It also supplements the information with photographs and examples.
Henry A. Ehrhardt, assistant director of Community Relations at the Department of Sanitation, said that the department printed a few thousand Chinese brochures. Residents can dial 311 to request a copy. The Department’s Asian-American community liaison went to Manhattan’s Chinatown, Flushing, and Sunset Park to distribute and explain the details of the brochures to business owners. Standing at Chatham Square in Chinatown, Ehrhardt said that compared to five years ago, sanitation in Chinatown is much better. He hoped that more people would be able to understand the department’s regulations and help improve the sanitation in Chinatown with the new brochures.
Coincidentally, a woman passed by Chatham Square picked up a brochure. After reading through it, she said that most of the information was clear and thorough. She also said that some people thought Chinese people did not care about sanitation and would not follow health regulations. Yet, she believed that unsatisfactory sanitation conditions often were the result of new immigrants’ unfamiliarity with American laws. The brochure would be particularly helpful.
In addition, the Department of Sanitation announced yesterday that starting the end of April to early May, there will be various locations organizing “Spring Cleaning,” which include the collection of old batteries, used clothes and other trash, and distribution of free fertilizers for gardens. The public can drop off any type and brand of electronics, old computers, cell phones, television sets at the “Spring Cleaning” venue for the department to recycle; however, there is a limit to five items per person. As well, old clothes and mattresses can also be brought to the department.
The public can also go to these venues to receive free fertilizer. The fertilizers are made from fallen leaves and old Christmas trees that the department collected last year. It will be very helpful for spring gardening. The department encourages people to bring their own containers to carry the fertilizer home.
