NYC Plastic Waste Overwhelms City, Residents Respond

Photographer Bryan Anselm has spent several months documenting the pervasive presence of plastic waste in urban and rural settings, from the congested streets of New York City to the quieter neighborhoods of Quebec. His images reveal how discarded plastic—wrappers, bags, and bottles—overflows bins, clogs gutters, and becomes a visible layer of the cityscape, a phenomenon he captures in stark, high‑contrast shots that emphasize the material’s persistence.

Anselm’s work highlights both the scale of the problem and the grassroots responses underway to mitigate it. In New York, the lack of hidden alleys means that recycling bags and other refuse are often left in plain sight, making the waste a public spectacle. In Quebec, community groups have organized clean‑up drives and educational campaigns to reduce single‑use plastics. The photographer’s images echo literary observations, such as Nick Shay’s claim in Don DeLillo’s *Underworld* that “garbage is not what we cast out, but the prime locus of meaning in our lives,” underscoring how waste shapes cultural and environmental narratives.

The series serves as a visual record of the ongoing struggle against plastic pollution and a call to action for both policymakers and citizens. By documenting the everyday realities of waste accumulation and the efforts to counter it, Anselm’s work invites viewers to confront the environmental footprint of modern consumption and to consider the collective responsibility for a cleaner, more sustainable future.