Where Does NYC Trash Go? The History of Fresh Kills Landfill & Modern Waste Removal

When a garbage bag disappears from a New York City curb, it does not go to a landfill somewhere inside the five boroughs. New York City has no active municipal solid waste landfill or incinerator. Ordinary residential and institutional refuse collected by the New York City Department of Sanitation is ultimately exported for disposal to landfills and waste-to-energy facilities outside the city.…