Rodents apparently gnaw through dense ‘rat-proof’ trash bin mandated by NYC
By Katherine Donlevy, Matthew Sedacca,
2025-01-30
Rodents have apparently gnawed clear through the dense plastic of the Big Apple ‘s supposedly “rat proof” new trash bins — but the city said the results show the containers are largely keeping the pests away.
One container was spotted in Williamsburg Thursday with a rat-sized hole one expert said appeared to have been made from a rodent, marking a battle lost for humans in the so-called Trash Revolution.
“It’s confirming the concern that this is not going to prevent rats from being a problem,” Shannon Phipps, the founder of the Berry Street Alliance, told The Post.
“It’s basically rendered useless because that just became their entry and exit … This is a mandated trash can that was advertised as a ‘rat-proof can’ being gnawed through.”
The now-ruined $50 lidded, rolling can, dubbed the NYC Bin, had only been on Berry Street off North Sixth Street for several weeks as part of the city’s latest anti-rat campaign.
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Under the rollout, buildings with nine or fewer units were mandated to shell out for the Sanitation Department-branded containers starting in November.
Last summer, Adams proudly called the containers “rat proof” and would “do the job” in cracking down on the Big Apple’s thriving rat population.
Bizarrely, however, the fine print clearly states that the warranty does not cover “damage from wildlife.”
Phipps relented that rat sightings have decreased in Williamsburg since the summer — but claimed the new bins should not be given credit as the solution.
The elimination of outdoor dining has likely given the rodents less of an incentive to run amok in the northern Brooklyn enclave. The bins, she continued, have only proven to be an added expense to residents who already owned perfectly functional plastic bins.
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The plastic bins apparently had no chance against the vermin’s intensely strong front teeth. The chompers rank a 5.5 on the Mohs scale, which which geologists use to measure minerals’ hardness. For comparison: iron scores around 5.0.
There’s little doubt a pesky rat — or several — carved out the hole, an expert told The Post.
“Yes, this does look like rodent-gnawing,” said Michael H. Parsons, a senior investigator for the Centre for Urban Ecological Solutions.
“They would have simply gnawed through to get to the contents (or scents) inside.”
Although this battle in the Trash Revolution may be lost, Parson said the war is not entirely over yet.
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“Evidence of rodents chewing through garbage cans is not necessarily a bad sign. It means the animal is stressed and exposing itself for long periods of time against predators and conspecifics, just to get sustenance. This means the best food source has been contained. So the garbage bins are doing their job! Just keeping the cup half full!”
The Sanitation Department did not answer The Post’s questions about the claims the bins are “rat-proof” or whether the city will compensate the building owner for their destroyed container.
“Rat sightings citywide fell 23% in December compared to the year before and are down another 25% so far this month,” said Joshua Goodman, the department’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Affairs and Customer Experience. “We didn’t invent these bins — they’re used all over the world, because they work to stop rats — and the numbers prove they’re working here.”
A representative from City Hall confirmed that they were investigating the gobbled trash bin in Williamsburg, but reiterated that the containers appear to be doing their jobs.
“Exposed black trash bags litter our streets and turn our sidewalks into all-you-can-eat rat buffets, which is why Mayor Adams is leaving them in the past,” said Liz Garcia, deputy press secretary for Adams.
“Trash bins are our city’s future, and we’re already seeing the positive impacts of our new bin rules. Rat sightings continue to plummet since we started our residential bin transition in November, proving that bins are a smart and much more rat-proof alternative.
“Like any new program, we’ll continue to make adjustments until we send all of the rats packing, but we are confident that bins are making our streets cleaner and improving quality of life.”
For the latest metro stories, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/metro/
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