New York's Strongest Make Quick Work of Times Square Cleanup as 200 Sanitation Workers Remove 100,000 Pounds of Confetti and Debris in Mere Hours

January 1, 2024

Thanks to historic investments in DSNY and detailed planning, Times Square was clean and open by day

After New Year’s revelers made their dreams come true by seeing the ball drop at the Crossroads of the World, the New York City Department of Sanitation was able to fulfill our goal, too – cleaning up the confetti and giving residents and visitors a clean and open Times Square by daybreak!

Thanks to New York’s Strongest, by the time the sun rose this morning, one would have no idea that one million revelers had been in Times Square mere hours before. Some 187 Sanitation Workers using 21 mechanical brooms and 20 collection trucks – along with brooms and backpack blowers – picked up about 100,000 pounds of litter, confetti and party hats beginning the moment the clock struck midnight, as shown in the attached photos.

“Every year, this holiday gives people an opportunity to begin anew and start with a clean slate. To that end, DSNY is proud to deliver a clean street, right here in Times Square,” said Commissioner Tisch. “This winter, we have the highest headcount in decades, and I want to thank Mayor Adams for giving us the tools we need to get the job done. Here's to a great – and clean – 2024.”

Video of the Times Square clean-up operation can be seen here.