Is Newspaper Garbage Worse than Food Garbage?

@bdennisr Hoarders: The Metro Episode @unsuckdcmetro http://twitpic.com/3vxio3


Via @empresspam Pigs @unsuckdcmetro #wmata (@ King Street Metro Station) http://picplz.com/Q4zQ



Via @kazahel Jackass just left this on the #wmata seat next to me. http://t.co/qL7oR75

Curious about what other riders think.

From T.:

I know you've posted a lot about eating on the Metro and the resulting garbage, but to me the bigger problem, in terms of filth on the Metro, is all the newspaper refuse left behind by lazy, unthoughtful riders.

It's not uncommon to see entire cars strewn with discarded Expresses and Examiners--less so other papers, I assume because people actually pay for those.

Not only are this unsightly, but over the years, I've seen them used to hide more serious piles of shame such as bodily fluids.

Don't get me wrong. I like having the papers available, if only for the sudoku, but I have a few questions about the arrangement between Metro and Express/Examiner.

Does Metro get any benefit or money by allowing these companies to freely distribute their for-profit products on Metro property?

Do these companies help pay for the man hours Metro must spend to clean up the garbage?

Does Metro get a break on advertising in these papers?

We asked Metro, and, in short, the answers are as follows:

No.
No.
No.

Here's more:

"No, we do not get any compensation from the papers for cleanup. The Washington Post did provide the recycle bins which are located in the mezzanines. We have posted signs and the train operators ask customers repeatedly to take their papers and belongings with them.

The decision to allow the hawkers was because we felt it was a value added service for our customers."

And speaking of the recycling bins:

From Chris:

The other afternoon, I was in Union Station about to enter through the turnstiles in the middle of the platform, and I saw a worker collecting the trash from one of the bins.

I then watched as they continued to the newspaper-only bin.

They dumped the contents in with the trash that was just collected.

Why are they going through the effort of setting up special bins and asking us to recycle when they just throw the contents away with the trash?

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