Talking Trash: Why You Shouldn't Take Garbage Chutes for Granted

How do waste compactors work? In the early seventies, New York City buildings replaced garbage incinerators with trash chutes and compactors because of air-quality concerns.

There are rooms on every floor that give building residents access to the chute so they can throw their trash away without having to trek down to the basement (or wherever garbage is collected). Trash piles up at the bottom of the chute, where a device eventually crushes it into smaller blocks of trash. The blocks of trash are then removed and taken to a garbage dump, but things ooze and build up — which is where serious problems arise.

Needless to say, it can also get smelly. It's important, therefore, for the super to keep the rooms on each floor clean, free of odors and vermin. The rooms must always be well lit, and the chute itself also needs to be properly cleaned and maintained.

Maintaining the chute. Nobody wants bugs or vermin, but even more importantly, nobody wants a fire. When trash builds up, it poses a hazard. Maintain the chute regularly and plan ahead for repairs to ensure it passes inspections.

The good news is that the unit itself and the frame should be made of stainless steal, and it's highly unlikely that it will need to be replaced. It's the pieces that make the chute function properly — the pistons, hinges, and latches — which require regular maintenance.

All chute doors have latching mechanisms that allow them to close properly. It's essential for a chute door to latch shut to prevent any fire that blows back up the tube from escaping. Building staff should check the doors to ensure they are not just closing but latching shut.

Moreover, using WD-40 or a good silicone sealant can keep pistons lubricated. But when a piston gets old, the hydraulics fail and can keep the chute from closing properly.

You can replace pistons and latches in-house. Major repairs, however, including replacing rusty hinges, require a contractor. There are only a few supply and repair companies in the nation, which means that it can take a while to hunt down parts.

Getting building residents to cooperate. Although the building's staff is charged with keeping chutes and refuse rooms clean and in proper working order, boards should remind building residents how important it is for everyone to cooperate.

• Update stickers or signs in each refuse room with New York City's recycling rules. These should list the items that are not allowed to be discarded via the chute, such as broken glass, and also remind residents that garbage bags must be tied tightly to prevent spillage.
• Send building residents reminders via e-mail about the proper disposal of trash. For example, throwing loose paper into chutes is prohibited.
• Post the same reminders in the basement, wherever garbage and recycling bins are kept.

If you find that building residents are throwing all kinds of garbage down the chute, consider holding a meeting and bring in an expert to explain the law in a non-confrontational way. Click here for more information about the proper construction and maintenance of chutes and refuse rooms, available from NYC.gov.