Hoboken steps up fight against rats, approves new city rules for trash cans starting Thursday
If residents don’t have the correct trash can or trash bag by Thursday, they’ll have a 30-day grace period while the new rules go into effect.
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Starting Thursday, residents in Hoboken will have to use trash cans with lids to store their garbage in an attempt to curb the city’s rat infestation.
City officials hope that each change relating to this situation will get one step closer to eliminating the problem. The new rules go into effect Thursday, stating buildings with 10 or fewer units will have to put garbage in trash cans with tight-fitting lids. If a building doesn’t have the space, then buildings can file for an exemption.
Properties with more than 10 units will need to do the same, but if they don’t have the additional space, they will have to use specific disposable garbage bags. And those bags must have rodent repellent. If bags don’t have rodent repellent, they have to be at least 3 mils thick.
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But not all lawmakers in the city were on board with the plan. Some council members say the exemptions don’t go far enough and limit accessibility for the elderly or disabled. But the city says they’ve secured $195,000 to purchase and distribute about 3,000 trash cans.
“I think if you were to go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and look for a garbage can with wheels and lids, they’re not cheap. We were able to leverage the city’s purchasing in bulk and our intention us to distribute those garbage cans to residents who don’t have one or need one to comply with the ordinance,” said business administrator Jason Freeman.
An alert will go out to all residents Thursday morning. If residents don’t have the correct trash can or trash bag by Thursday, they’ll have a 30-day grace period while the new rules go into effect.
