What to Know
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday revealed the next step in his war against rats: the mandatory use of hard-top trash containers for all businesses. All New York City businesses that sell food must now comply with this rule .Containers would be mandatory for all companies from March 1, 2024.
NEW YORK — Rats are a big problem in New York City and, according to city officials, trash bags are one of the main reasons.
With this in mind, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday revealed the next step in his war on rats: the mandatory use of hard-top trash containers for all businesses.
All New York City businesses that sell food must now comply with this rule.
“Public enemy No. 1, many of you don’t know, is rats and we’re going to get rid of them, but public enemy No. 2 is our garbage bags,” Adams said.
Adams, along with Health Commissioner Jessica Tisch, explained the rules, which would include:
The containers will be mandatory for all companies from March 1, 2024. There is a one-month grace period. Fines will begin to be imposed if businesses continue to put their bagged trash outside without the use of a dumpster: $50 for the first violation, then $100, and then $200 for each additional violation.
“We give companies several months’ notice so they can make the necessary preparations,” Tisch said.
However, some New Yorkers are skeptical that something as basic as a dumpster will make a difference when it comes to rats.
Almost daily, New Yorkers post photos of violators that the New York City Department of Sanitation follows up with warnings and citations, making law enforcement a constant challenge.
According to the city, “full commercial containerization will remove 20 million pounds of trash, half of the city’s waste, from New York City streets every day.”
One city councilman whose district is part of the next phase (residential dumpsters) is almost giddy with confidence that the war on rats is taking a turn. A residential containerization and mechanized collection pilot is currently underway at 14 schools and 10 residential blocks in the Hamilton Heights section of Manhattan.
“We have rats on the run,” said New York City Council member Shawn Abreu. “We are sinking their ship. It’s good to meet you, Mickey. Go back to Florida. You have uttered your last scream. You have reached the end of the rat race.”
The sanitation commissioner told NBC 4 New York that the department will send mailers to all businesses in the city and knock on doors to spread the word. All of that before that one-month grace period before fines.
2023-09-19 21:51:47
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