By Scott Sieber
So stinky, in fact, that City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) is once again commissioning the services of the city Department of Sanitation's powerful deodorant pressure washing service to battle against the summer smell in downtown Flushing.”On hot summer days, a stench arises on streets all throughout the city,” Liu said. “Here in Flushing, we control that stench with this innovative sweeper/flusher service. Even so, we continue to work on additional ways to clean the most difficult streets, such as 40th Road.”The flushing of Flushing was the first of its kind to occur in New York City when it was first initiated last summer. According to Sanitation spokeswoman Taryn Duckett, the flushers are filled with “a clear mix of water and a solution called bioscent,” she said. “It's a clear liquid frequently used at landfills to keep odors down and it's all environmentally safe.”From midnight to 7 a.m., street sweepers will clean debris from the roads immediately before the flusher trucks, filled with their deodorizing liquid, hose down the streets.”The solution just neutralizes anything it comes in contact with,” Duckett said.Liu worked in conjunction with the Flushing Business Improvement District to secure the trucks. The services cost the district a total of about $18,000, she said. “We need this type of service in Flushing because the smell in the streets, especially during the summer, is not good for business,” said Peter Koo, BID program services chairman. “The flusher service works for our neighborhood. We want to keep the service every year and will continue to work closely with the Department of Sanitation to help keep Flushing clean.”The stench usually arises from the intense heat combined with the dense population in the area.”The heat mixed with garbage and food from restaurants and you can imagine the smell,” she said.The cleanups will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from May 26 through the end of October. Regular street cleaning services will remain active.Reach reporter Scott Sieber by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
