New York City Council Seeks to Cement Trash Revolution Under Zohran Mamdani's Leadership
In a significant move, the NYC Council has passed legislation that will ensure the city's trash revolution continues under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's administration. The so-called "RAT" act mandates that all buildings with 31 or more units must use on-street bins to dispose of residential waste by 2032.
This policy is a direct result of Mayor Eric Adams' signature achievement, the war on rats, which aims to reduce rodent populations in NYC. While the original rollout has been met with some resistance due to parking concerns, the city council's latest legislation brings the effort full circle.
The law requires buildings in densely populated areas to use large trash bins that can only be emptied by special side-loading garbage trucks and require building supers' permission to open. In contrast, smaller containers will suffice for buildings with 10 to 30 units.
According to Councilmember Shaun Abreu, who sponsored the legislation, Mayor-elect Mamdani supports the policy and even proposes going further by installing additional on-street bins for recycling.
While it remains to be seen how effective this policy will be in reducing trash-related issues, its implementation has already led to a noticeable decrease in rat sightings in areas where the bins have been deployed. The initial rollout of these bins was successful, with residents praising their effectiveness.
The city's sanitation department estimates that the cost of implementing and maintaining these bins for all five boroughs will be around $55 per apartment, although there are exemptions available. The bill authorizes the department to charge landlords this fee to offset the costs.
Sanitation officials claim that completing an environmental review is necessary before deploying these "Empire Bins" in every neighborhood, but councilmembers remain optimistic about the potential benefits of this policy.
In a significant move, the NYC Council has passed legislation that will ensure the city's trash revolution continues under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's administration. The so-called "RAT" act mandates that all buildings with 31 or more units must use on-street bins to dispose of residential waste by 2032.
This policy is a direct result of Mayor Eric Adams' signature achievement, the war on rats, which aims to reduce rodent populations in NYC. While the original rollout has been met with some resistance due to parking concerns, the city council's latest legislation brings the effort full circle.
The law requires buildings in densely populated areas to use large trash bins that can only be emptied by special side-loading garbage trucks and require building supers' permission to open. In contrast, smaller containers will suffice for buildings with 10 to 30 units.
According to Councilmember Shaun Abreu, who sponsored the legislation, Mayor-elect Mamdani supports the policy and even proposes going further by installing additional on-street bins for recycling.
While it remains to be seen how effective this policy will be in reducing trash-related issues, its implementation has already led to a noticeable decrease in rat sightings in areas where the bins have been deployed. The initial rollout of these bins was successful, with residents praising their effectiveness.
The city's sanitation department estimates that the cost of implementing and maintaining these bins for all five boroughs will be around $55 per apartment, although there are exemptions available. The bill authorizes the department to charge landlords this fee to offset the costs.
Sanitation officials claim that completing an environmental review is necessary before deploying these "Empire Bins" in every neighborhood, but councilmembers remain optimistic about the potential benefits of this policy.
, like what's next? putting recycling bins on every street corner in Manhattan? it's all good for reducing rat sightings I guess, but who's paying for these fancy new bins? 
55 bucks per apartment is already a lot for landlords to deal with, let alone the environmental reviews and special trucks that are gonna be needed. maybe we should just stick to regular trash cans like everyone else in the country 
! The idea of RAT bins seems genius - just imagine how much easier it'll be to clean up after a party or two 
. I mean, can you even picture those rats running away from the streets with their tiny little paws? 
I don't know if I'm on board with this whole trash revolution thing 
. And $55 an apartment? That's some serious cash for something that'll just get emptied every week 
️... they're scouting out ways to make on-street bins a standard for every city in the US! That would be HUGE, right? 
It's not just about reducing rat problems, it's about creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of living in cities. I'm all for it, but we gotta keep an eye on those costs, $55 per apartment is no joke 
... what do you think, are the benefits worth it? 
! Did you know that NYC generates over 13 million tons of trash per year? That's like filling up the Yankee Stadium with garbage 3 times a week 
]
! No more rat problems for NYC 
. plus, it's awesome that the city council is supporting Mayor-elect Mamdani's vision for a cleaner, greener NYC 
. 55 bucks per apartment might seem steep to some, but think about all the money we'll save in the long run on medical bills from rat-borne illnesses 
. and who knows, maybe this will be the start of something BIG 
i mean, who doesn't hate rats? 
now let's just hope the city can execute this plan smoothly & not break the bank 
. plus, it's awesome that councilmember shaun abreu is pushing for this change - i'm all about taking care of our communities and the environment. its a bit pricey tho, but hey, its worth it in the long run 
.
. It's just a bit much. Can't we just let buildings figure out their own waste management? And what's with all these exemptions? $55 per apartment is crazy expensive 
I can see why Councilmember Abreu is hyped about this - it's all about making NYC a cleaner, more livable city for everyone 
The fact that there are exemptions available is a good touch too 
Can't wait to see how this policy pans out over time! 
anywayz at least theres more bins on the streets, maybe thats what we need, more bins to keep rats away? lol idk about that part tho...
the use of bullet points and short paragraphs is so on point, makes it easy to scan and digest