So, basically, to avoid the spread of bed bugs, you have to wrap your mattress and box springs in plastic before dumping it on the curb — whether or not you even have bed bugs. There is a fine of up to $100 if your bed isn't wrapped. Landlords such as Brownstone Building Mgmt here will fine you the tenant then. If they can figure out who the mattress belonged to, that is.
Since this past January, the Dept of Sanitation requires that all City residents "fully encase within a sealed plastic bag all mattresses or box springs being discarded for DSNY collection" or get a $100 fine.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually defend landlords, but this one seems to be on firm ground here. The sign says "Should the tenant not comply with this law, the tenant shall be responsible for the fine." Since the city says wrapping the mattresses is the resident's responsibility not the landlord's, the res is the one paying the fine if ticketed.
Then again, as EV Grieve already said, it'll be hard to figure out who the mattresses belong to. So how is the city enforcing this? Who's handing out the tickets? Who's getting them? I'll wager landlords and mgmt companies, are probably the ones getting ticketed.
I didn't see the notice but I did see a few mattresses wrapped in plastic bags last week. When I asked the super "Why?" He said "Bedbugs!"... Now I know.
ReplyDeleteWrap that rascal!
ReplyDeleteI hope I didn't miss my chance to invest in the mattress plastic wrapping company that is going to make a killing on this.
ReplyDeleteAnd we will start seeing this ad: "Buy a new mattress get a plastic wrap free!"
Jill
ReplyDeleteWhen I bought my last mattress, it came in a plastic wrap bag. It was very heavy gauge plastic. I simply sliced the end open, slid out the new mattress and slid the old one in.
the only way I was able to get the mattress down the stairs was by being able to grab a handful of the plastic bag in the middle of the mattress and vertically carry it down the stairs. If it hadn't been in that bag I would have had no way to grab and lift it.
Isn't that fascinating??! I thought so.!!!!
Ken,
ReplyDeleteSanitation issues the violations just like they do for any other building sidewalk sanitation violation. It always goes to the building.
Isn't that fascinating??! I thought so!!!
Would using a roll of cling film/Saran Wrap bought from the dollar store suffice?
ReplyDeletei am guessing this is becuase the majority of mattresses sold are old ones that have been refurbished. i have heard horror stories of people buying new matresses... with bed bugs
ReplyDelete@glamma -
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not because of inadequately refurbished mattresses being sold as new; it's because sanitation workers were getting bedbugs from handling old mattresses.