New York claims a small victory in 'forever war on rats'

NYC’s Trash Practices and “Wheelie-Bin” Gap

• Many commenters are stunned NYC historically piled bagged trash directly on sidewalks rather than using bins or communal dumpsters, unlike most other US and European cities.
• Explanations include lack of alleys, extreme density, and large volumes of waste per block; others argue these are solvable issues, not fundamental blockers.
• Current DSNY policy: typical household trash pickup ~2x/week, recycling/compost 1x/week; pilot bin schemes and increased frequency (up to 6x/week) are referenced.

Space, Parking, and Political Tradeoffs

• Major friction point: where bins/dumpsters would go. Suggestions: sacrifice curb parking, outdoor dining structures, or reclaim scattered “trash room” space.
• Many note curb parking removal is politically explosive; some say residents literally prefer rats to losing a single parking spot per block.
• Underground systems are discussed: Roosevelt Island has one, but a city report says wider rollout is blocked by dense, poorly mapped underground utilities and engineering complications (e.g., snow).

Effectiveness and Limitations of Bins

• Anecdotes: Baltimore’s rat-proof cans significantly reduced visible rats; Washington DC “supercans” help but don’t eliminate them.
• Some report heavy-duty wheelie bins lasting decades; others describe local trucks destroying bin lids in 2–3 years due to aggressive automated arms.
• Several note that bins reduce access to food but don’t eradicate rats; sterilization/birth-control strategies are proposed as more sustainable than mass killing.

Comparisons to Other Cities and Predators

• Other US cities (SF, DC, “out West”) and many abroad (Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul) are cited as cleaner or better-managed.
• Istanbul’s large stray cat population is credited with suppressing rats; SF’s coyotes are mentioned similarly. Others counter that many US cities suppress feral cats, breaking that predator-prey dynamic.

Unions, Labor, and Responsibility

• One claim blames NYC trash unions for blocking dumpsters to preserve jobs; others demand evidence and point out current bin expansions contradict that story.
• Proposals to use homeless or unemployed people for rat control draw pushback as unrealistic or ethically fraught; some argue standard hiring is preferable.

Culture, Humor, and Big-City Ambivalence

• Commenters mock the idea of “discovering” trash cans in 2025, see it as car-brain vs. public health, and joke about rat-killing robots or car-stealing rats.
• Broader reflections span: love of big-city culture vs. disgust with filth, and even debates over whether a hypothetical global rat extinction would improve or worsen ecosystems.