#sanitation

#sanitation

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Monday is Presidents Day, which means many people may have the day off and services may be closed in observance of the federal holiday. Officially Washington's birthday at the federal government level, Presidents Day is a holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who serves as presidents of the United States.

As of Thursday, 20 dogs at Chesterfield Square had tested positive for giardia, according to L.A. Animal Services. The common and highly contagious parasitic infection can cause diarrhea in animals as well as people. The first case was found Jan. 22. Walks, play groups and adoption meetings outside kennels were paused for a two-week isolation period to find and treat affected dogs, but that period was extended indefinitely by the shelter's team of veterinarians.

My husband apparently believes it is perfectly acceptable-reasonable, even-to use the bathroom toilet plunger in the kitchen sink without washing it first. Not a new plunger. Not a "sink-only" plunger. The plunger. The one whose sole purpose in life is to do battle with human waste. His argument is that "it's fine," "it's basically clean," and my personal favorite, "it's just water."

Given that the same sanitation workers who pick up trash have been clearing the foot of snow and ice that fell last Sunday, we are about one day behind on collection, and we ask for patience from New Yorkers while we catch up,

"While the building has been deemed safe and clean by the Board of Health, District & School leaders have determined there would not be a reasonable number of students and staff members present to have a structured and safe learning environment," Galusi and Crowell said in the statement.

Dozens of the city's new space-age garbage containers crash-landed in Brooklyn over the last week, marking the latest move by the sanitation department to eradicate mountains of trash bags from sidewalks. The large, gray bins made by the Spanish company Contenur are a common sight in parts of Upper Manhattan, where the sanitation department has rolled them out over the last year as part of a pilot program.

The new automated public toilets have already opened in Newington Green, City Road and Highbury Fields and will open on Holloway Road, Seven Sisters Road and Highbury Crescent on September 1. Each WC is self cleaning, with the toilet bowl, seat, floor and walls automatically disinfected after every use. At night, they'll be blitz with ozone-based night cleaning to keep them fresh. Like any good public toilet, there'll also be plenty of bins of general and menstrual waste.

"Having worked in hotels, the first thing I fling off to a far corner of the room are decorative pillows and any decorative runner that goes along the foot of the bed. These never get washed."

The overwhelming condition of public litter baskets in various neighborhoods is raising concerns about cleanliness as overflowing trash spills onto streets and sidewalks.

Councilmember Joann Ariola states, "Our Sanitation Department is critically underfunded with only 10 workers to manage over 1,700 vacant lots. This situation is unacceptable."

Councilmember Gale Brewer pointed out during a hearing the sanitation department as far back as the 1980s would slap the stickers on cars that failed to move for street sweepers.