NYC restaurants and businesses that serve food must use garbage cans with lids under new rule

Jul 29, 2023

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Starting Tuesday, restaurants and food-related businesses in New York City will have to use garbage cans with lids.

Officials hope garbage cans with lids will help keep the rats away.

It is one of several new city trash rules. On Monday, a new utensil rule went into effect as well.

That rule states that restaurants and other food service establishments will only provide plastic utensils for takeout orders if they are specifically requested.

The city said that there will be a one-month grace period for business owners before they face fines.

The first offense will cost $50, the second offense will cost $100 and $200 for the third offense.

According to the city, the bins should be no larger than 55 gallons, with tightly fitted lids or in securely tied heavy duty opaque black and or brown plastic bags.

Bins will be allowed to stay on the sidewalk within 3 feet of the restaurant and they must put the containers out after 8 p.m.

"I have long said that if we starve the rats, we will start to win on the war against rats, and that's exactly what we've seen start to happen in New York City," NYC Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. "And these new rules that are taking effect requiring food businesses to containerize their waste, they will only help us further our war against the rats."

Some restaurant owners are having mixed reactions toward the new trash bin rule.

Sam Wong owns Jin Ramen with four locations in New York City.

He's worried that the bins he just bought for $150 each will get swiped and believes the rats will still get to the food.

"They will find a way to chew in the bottom," Wong said.

Meanwhile, some restaurant owners like Lloyd Hollie, owner of Jasmine's Caribbean Cuisine, believes this will help the war against rats.

"The rats can eat right through the bag, so in a bin it might control it a little better," Hollie said.

MORE | Plastic utensils now only available by request for takeout orders in NYC

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