On March 31st, government officials joined Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation (CPLDC) executives in kicking off a long-term program to improve sanitation in New York’s Chinatown. The first phase involves the placing of 50 state-of-the-art trash cans throughout the streets of Chinatown.

The initiative is the first undertaking in a four-year “Clean Streets” initiative, which aims to improve the physical environment of Chinatown by making it dramatically cleaner, safer and more attractive for residents and visitors. “Clean Streets” was conceived in response to surveys of both Chinatown residents and visitors identifying sanitation as one of the top concerns in the neighborhood. Other initiatives will be launched later this spring.

Produced for Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism on October 14, 2008.