NYC Department of Sanitation calls out business for violating trash rules

NEW YORK - The New York City Department of Sanitation is going after violators of the city's new rules for trash on the sidewalk.

In one recent tweet, the Department of Sanitation called out Butterfield Market on the Upper East Side, saying "Get your act together."

Instead of using garbage bins with lids, the market on Lexington Avenue has been accused of putting garbage bags on the sidewalk for pickup.  

"The time to comply was five months ago," said Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch. 

 Five months ago, the Sanitation Department began requiring all food-related businesses to use garbage bins with lids to help combat the city's rat problem, but some businesses are still not complying.  

"At this point so many months later, there's truly no excuse for not having wheely bins for your trash," Tisch said.

The first offense is a $50 fine, the second is $100, and it is a $200 fine for subsequent offenses.

"It's just very challenging to be a small business in New York City with space to begin with.  We just try to do our best," said Joelle Obsatz, who co-owns Butterfield Market with her brother Evan.

They say they have ordered the trash bins and they should arrive today.

"Hopefully this will put an end to the drama that's surrounding this… We don't want them blocking up the street, so we were just trying to figure out a proper place to put them," Evan Obsatz said.

"If so many other businesses can figure it out, so too can Butterfield.  That excuse just doesn't cut it," Commissioner Tisch said. "Lack of compliance at this point means we are going to be showing up at your store every night until we see compliance."