[erw1]

Pretty sure that until recently, the preferred mode of trash disposal in NY was to tug it into the ocean and let it loose.

edit: Yep, see [1]

> Through most of its history until the mid-1900s, New York’s primary method for disposing of its waste was simply to dump it into the ocean. At one point, as much as 80% of New York’s garbage ended up out at sea.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/oct/27/new-york-rubb...

[ams6110]

While true, there was a lot less plastic in the trash then.