New York City is taking another step in its war on rats and sidewalk trash, as residents can expect to see less bags and more bins on the streets starting Tuesday.
That's because all buildings with one to nine housing units will have to start putting household trash for pickup in large plastic containers — which are said to be rat-proof — on the curb rather than just leaving the bags themselves. It's the first time in 50 years trash won't simply be left on the roadside for takeaway.
"It serves as an all night buffet for the rats. It’s time to differently time to live like the rest of the world lives," said NYC Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The city sells the official bins, which come in two sizes and have lids that seal, to property owners for $50 each. More than 400,000 have been purchased as of Monday.
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The rule applies to apartment buildings and single family homes.
"They’re a lot more affordable than buying a new one from a hardware store or Home Depot or something, and we need a new one," said Allie DitKowich, of Bayside, Queens. "I think there’s bigger fish to fry in the city but I at least appreciate the steps to clean it up."
For those who had not yet purchased one of the new receptacles, don't fret: There will be a grace period until Jan. 2. During that time, the Department of Sanitation will give out warnings to property owners not using bins. After that time, fines from $50 to $200 will be issued.
"We want to give a reasonable period to buy bins, learn the new muscle memory: bins rather than sidewalks," said Commissioner Tisch. "My message to New Yorkers is very simple: It’s time to bring dignity and order back to every block borough."
The rules also apply to special use buildings like city agencies, nonprofits, houses of worship and professional offices in residential buildings.
It's part of what the city and Mayor Eric Adams have called a "trash revolution" as they look to improve on how to deal with 44 million pounds of garbage a day.
"This means 70% of all trash in the city will be covered by container requirements," Tisch said previously.
Larger buildings will join the container trend in Spring 2025, as the city gets ready to roll out new garbage trucks that will empty sidewalk bins setup for larger structures. The program, which the city has said will also cut down on workplace injuries among sanitation workers, is modeled after Europeans cities like Barcelona.
"We are only catching up with what municipalities across the globe are doing," Adams has said.
The new policies aimed at cutting down on the piles of curbside garbage bags will follow rules recently put into place for commercial properties and businesses. Since March, all 200,000 businesses in the Big Apple have been required to put out their bags of trash in garbage bins, as communities across the county and world have long done.
Just under a year ago, in Aug. 2023, the city started requiring restaurants, convenience stores and bars to use a sturdy trash can with a secure lid and extended the requirement to chain stores the following month.
