As New York City braces for a potential “shelter-in-place” mandate to lessen the spread of the coronavirus, the city’s can and bottle collectors might begin to feel the impact of certain business’ closures like restaurants and bars. According to NBC New York, the “bottle professionals” might shift a major focus to collecting recyclables from residential buildings, which might work in their favor as more of the city’s residents remain at home.
For one person interviewed by the news site, Josefa Marin said she’ll continue to work, noting that this service helps to remain on top of paying bills. “This is our job, we have learned to survive doing this, whether it’s hot in the summer or cold in the winter,” she stated. NBC also notes that Marin’s canning techniques allowed her to afford a $1,500 per month rent fee and provide for her two children.
For New York resident Chicago Crosby, she shared with the Associated Press that she turned to recycling cans and bottles after she lost her job. “The rougher the weather is, the better it is for me. I make more money on those rough days because I’m the only idiot out there on those streets,” she said. “I’m not afraid of the weather. Maybe the roughest part is just hauling them and separating everything but it’s such a joyous feeling when you’ve completed the task though. It depends on what you’re canning for. For me, it was an absolute necessity so I can’t think about the downsides of it. At the end of the day, I’ve done what I needed to do and that’s good enough for me and I can’t think about the rest of it.”
To curb the virus’ spread by practicing social distancing and quarantining one’s self inside a home, Mayor Bill de Blasio reduced bars and restaurants to only operate under a take-out or delivery service. New York state has upwards of 1.700 positive cases of the coronavirus.
“Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago,” the statement reads. “We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbors. Now it is time to take yet another drastic step. The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together. We have to break that cycle.”
New York City Mayor: All restaurants, bars and cafes will be limited to food take-out and delivery. Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close. The order will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 AM. pic.twitter.com/hgj7pH6M42
— Bryan Llenas (@BryanLlenas) March 16, 2020