Two heirloom rings, an antique four-generation platinum and diamond engagement ring and a small gold and diamond promise ring, were accidentally thrown out with garbage in Brooklyn last week. The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) facilitated their recovery after a resident alerted sanitation workers to the loss.
The resident, in a panic after realizing the rings were lost, flagged down two DSNY workers on the street. The workers contacted their supervisor, initiating a process to locate the lost items at a waste management facility on Varick Street.
DSNY has a procedure for such incidents, which can lead to recovery if the resident contacts the department promptly and the truck has not yet dumped its load at a transfer station. "In every one of these cases, when we get the call, we isolate the truck, arrange a time for the search, and then we slowly dump the contents — up to 20,000 pounds of trash — across a concrete tipping floor," a DSNY spokesperson explained. This case was unique because the rings were thrown into a compacting system at a large residential building.
Sanitation workers themselves generally do not participate in the physical search for lost items, but the department provides access to facilities and equipment for residents who undertake the search. If the truck's load has already been mixed with other waste, recovery becomes impossible.
In this instance, searchers were able to locate the rings within 10 minutes of sifting through approximately 20,000 pounds of garbage. Residents who accidentally discard valuable items are advised to call 311 as soon as possible to follow the department's standard procedure. The DSNY can sometimes provide clues to help direct residents, such as indicating the back of the truck if the collection route started at that address. The department provides necessary equipment like gloves and shovels for the search, though the task is described as hygienically daunting.