Roosevelt Island AVAC Underground Garbage Removal System Out Of Service For A Few Days Earlier This Week - Watch Video Of Fascinating AVAC Tour, Learn About Crazy Items Thrown Down Chutes, How AVAC Gets Fixed And Lightning Strike That Shut It Down Too

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced May 29 that the AVAC (Automatic Vacuum Collection) underground garbage removal system was out of service until further notice and followed up on May 30 with: 

This is an update to the notice sent out yesterday concerning the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s (RIOC) east side line of the AVAC System.

The east side line of the AVAC System is out of service until further notice. RIOC continues to work with the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to address the issue. Until the service is restored, RIOC has provided property managers an alternate area to dispose of the garbage. RIOC has an agreement with DSNY to have garbage pickup services available to mitigate buildup during the AVAC service disruption.

RIOC will continue to send updates via email, text, and social media as information is received.


Thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to restore the service.

Team RIOC


East Side Buildings Impacted on Main Street:

405, 415, 425, 455, 460, 465, 475, 480, 510, 516, 536, 540, 548, 556, 560, 576 & 580

The Roosevelt Island AVAC service interruption was fixed May 31:

Dear Roosevelt Island Community,

The RIOC AVAC East side system is now operational.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

During an October 23, 2022 tour of the Roosevelt Island AVAC facility I asked Sanitation Department worker TJ about crazy items that were placed in the AVAC chutes. 

TJ answered that bed frames and TV sets have been thrown down the AVAC chute and also confirmed that the AVAC was shut down a few weeks before the Tour by a lightning strike.

Watch full video of the fascinating tour of the Roosevelt Island AVAC facility.