It was a diamond in the rough stuff.
A Brooklyn resident accidentally tossed two heirloom rings in the garbage last week — but the precious jewels were quickly found after searchers sifted through up to 20,000 pounds of putrid rubbish.
The deflating ordeal unfolded on Tuesday after the New Yorker indadvertenly parted ways with an antique, four-generation platinum and diamond engagement ring and a small gold and diamond promise ring, the Santitation Department said.
In a panic, the resident flagged down two DSNY workers on the street, kicking off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the happy ending.
The santitation workers contacted their supervisor to arrange a search at a waste management facility on Varick Street and the rings were found within just 10 minutes of searching, a Sanitation spokespeson told The Post Friday.
“This was a very unique case where the rings were thrown into a compacting system at a large residential building,” the DSNY rep said.
“In every one of these cases, when we get the call, we isolate the truck, arrange a time for the search, and then we slowly dump the contents — up to 20,000 pounds of trash — across a concrete tipping floor.”
While the DSNY orchestrates these searches by providing access to facilities and equipment, the department noted that its personnel generally do not assist in the physical search for lost items.
“If the truck has already dumped its load at a transfer station, there is no way to recover the lost item, as it is almost immediately mixed with trash from other trucks and put into a barge or rail car,” the DSNY spokesperson said.
However, a search remains possible if residents contact the DSNY and reach the facility on time.
“Sometimes we are able to use some clues to point the resident in the right direction,” the representative explained.
“For example, if the address was at the beginning of a collection route, we will point the resident toward the material at the back of the truck.”
The unlucky and bereft can bring a friend to assist in the search, although the task is hygienically daunting.
The DSNY provides searchers with equipment including gloves, shovels, pickers, and other tools.
Residents who accidentally toss a valuable item should call 311 as soon as possible, according to the department’s standard procedure.
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