New York City handles nearly 3 million tons of trash a year.

And much of it ends up on the curb in loose plastic bags -- before getting shipped out of the city altogether, on barges and then trains. This system costs the city around $500 million a year.

So, can the largest U.S. metropolis modernize its waste management? Watch the video above to learn how experts and city officials plan to tackle New York's giant trash problem.