BUFFALO, N.Y. — Six-hundred-and-eighty-two bags of trash. That’s how much the Western New York region of the state Department of Transportation picked up on Earth Day in the four-county area they are responsible for. That doesn’t include the five small dump trucks filled with metal and other large debris. 

These are the same men and women who plow the roads and the fill potholes. It's work they’d rather be doing to keep you safe. But occasionally, they find themselves picking up diapers, liquor bottles, empty fast food containers and so much more.

What You Need To Know

  • Earth Day marks Trash Blitz Day for NYSDOT crews across the state

  • WNY region picked up 682 contractor size bags, along with five small dump trucks filled with metal and other large debris

  • Their message is simple: Save the trash for your house

  • They have to pick up trash instead of filling potholes, mowing grass, etc. 

With yellow reflective jacket heavy duty work boots on, it’s Trash Blitz Day for members of the New York State Department of Transportation members like Nick Kinderman. He’s the North Erie resident engineer.

"I wish we didn’t have to pick up as much trash as we do," Kinderman said.

But, much like the snow they plow, the grass they mow, and the potholes they fill, the cycle is endless.

"We will pick up hundreds of bags throughout the season just on our own," Kinderman recalled.

And we aren’t talking the bags in your kitchen. These are contractor-size bags.

"You get to a point where you can’t carry them anymore, so you tie them up and throw them on the truck," Kinderman explained.

To get a better idea of just much trash they find, we spent an hour at one of the most notorious places for trash in Buffalo. The Suffolk Street ramp off the 33.

"It’s been a sore spot for us for years,” Kinderman said.

What we found, putting it bluntly, was disgusting and disheartening.

"See this thing is all full of water so it’s super heavy," Kinderman showed. "That’s why these bags fill up so fast."

And they were.

"This ramp looked relatively clean when we arrived, but on closer inspection, we’ve filled seven garbage bags," Susan Surdej, Regional PIO and NYSDOT engineer said.

And in those bags was a variety of items.

"I have scrap tin, license plates holders, all kinds of things," Surdej listed. "Masks, that’s another thing."

Plastic bags, needles, even guns. You name it, they’ve probably found it.

So, here’s something to think about. What you throw out of your car can end up down here in the grates.

"And then it clogs that up," Kinderman said.

That could lead to pooling on the roadway, not to mention it could end up in our waterways. This litter is 100% preventable.

"Then it frees up our crews to be able to take care of things on the road," Kinderman said.

It’s really simple. Save the trash for your house.

Trash Blitz day is just one day you'll see crews out in full force.

With nicer weather, you'll be seeing much more of them out in the community, from mowing and filling potholes to all sorts of maintenance work. So a friendly reminder to move over when you see their yellow flashing lights.