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COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
November 17, 2025
Nyasha Howard, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Howard,
Today, along with Councilmember Charles Allen, I am introducing the “Rodent Abatement Through Smart
Solutions (RATSS) Amendment Act of 2025. ” This bill seeks to address the prevalent rodent problem in
the District through a variety of waste receptacle programs to deter the presence of rodents both in
commercial and residential areas . Abating rodents is important for public health and to encouraging
economic activity and prosperity.
First, this bill establishes a Residential Rodent Prevention Trash Shed Incentive Program at the Department
of Public Works (DPW), similar to the at -home composting incentive program. This program would
establish a rebate or voucher that residents who live in buildings whose trash is serviced by DPW would be
able to use to purchase a rodent -proof shed to store trash and recycling bins inside. The District’s current
trash bins seek to find a balance between being of hard enough material to deter rodents but also not as
heavy of as loud as metal. This means, however, that the current trash and recycling cans are not made out
of rodent-proof materials. If residents were able to purchase a shed made out of rodent-proof material – as
determined by DPW – these residents could prevent rodents from being able to access their trash cans and
chew through them.
Next, the bill establishes a public litter container replacement program at DPW which would replace the
current metal public trash cans with more rodent -proof, censored bins, such as Big Belly Compactors or
MetroSTOR bins. Such replacements would be conducted based on 311 requests for replacement, taking
into consideration local ANC comment. This system would not only gradually replace the current public
litter containers that are not rodent-proof, but would also create a better system with sensors, allowing DPW
to know when the bins need to be emptied.
The next aspect of this legislation implements a system for residential trash can replacement in the District.
Currently, residents who are serviced by DPW are able to make a 311 request for a replacement trash or
recycling bin if their bins are significantly damaged by rodents. While this program responds to individual
requests it does not adequately address the presence of rodents in the proximate area . For instance, if one
resident has their bins replaced, but the neighbor next to them still has bins with several holes in them, the
rodents will still come to that area. This program presents an alternative strategy of replacing all bins with
rodent holes in them on a block at once, prioritizing areas of the District that have had the highest 311
requests for rodent -related activity. By replacing all the bins with holes at once on a bloc k, the program
ensures that there are no “weak links” in the vicinity that would continue to attract rodents – creating new
chew holes in the new bins.
Finally, this bill would reinstate the Trash Compactor Grant Program. The District has several dense
commercial corridors that include restaurants which produce large amounts of trash that would be attractive
to rodents. One way to prevent rodent access to this trash and to ensure that our allies and streets are cleaner,
is for businesses to purchase commercial trash compactors. Such compactors compact bulk trash and other
waste in a way that is energy efficient and reduces the likelihood of accidental pollution through spills or
wind-blown debris. These compactors are qui te expensive, however, so if an individual business cannot
purchase them, they will continue to deal with rodent problems. The Trash Compactor Grant Program was
able to provide grants to businesses in the District for either the lease or purchase of a tras h compactor,
helping many businesses get over the financial hurdle and improving their waste situations. Reinstating this
grant program will continue to make the difference that we saw when it was first in place.
This legislation continues the important conversation about how the District can address rodent issues for
residents through a variety of investments and targeted, smart approaches.
Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Legislative Assistant, Esther
Bundens, at ebundens@dccouncil.gov.
Thank you,
Brooke Pinto
Councilmember, Ward 2
Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
Council of the District of Columbia
________________________ _______________________
Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Brooke Pinto
A BILL
_________________________
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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To amend the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Amendment Act of 2014 to address the 1
prevalent rodent problem in the District of Columbia by establishing a home trash shed 2
incentive program for the safe storage of trash receptacles and replace public trash cans 3
that are in disrepair with better-sealed, censored trash cans, to establish a more systematic 4
replacement program for residential trash cans that have evidence of being chewed by 5
rodents; and to revive the Trash Compactor Tax Incentive Amendment Act of 2014 to 6
reestablish a trash compactor grant program. 7
8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 9
act may be cited as the “Rodent Abatement Through Smart Solutions (RATSS) Amendment Act 10
of 2025”. 11
Sec. 2. The Sustainable Solid Waste Management Amendment Act of 2014, effective 12
February 26, 2015 (D.C. Law 20-154; D.C. Official Code § 8-1031.01 et seq.), is amended by 13
adding new sections 112g, 112h, and 112i to read as follows: 14
“Sec. 112g. Residential Rodent Prevention Trash Shed Incentive Program. 15
(a) For the purposes of this section, the term “authorized retailer” means a retailer within 16
the District with which DPW has entered into a memorandum of agreement, as described in 17
subsection (g) of this section, to redeem applicants’ vouchers for a discount on the purchase price 18
of a rodent-proof waste container shed at the point of sale. 19
20
(b) There is established a Residential Rodent Prevention Trash Shed Incentive Program 21
(“Program”), to be administered by the Mayor, to provide rebates and vouchers to encourage 22
residential property owners and lessees to purchase and use a rodent-proof waste container shed. 23
“(c) To be eligible for a rebate provided for in this section, a residential property owner 24
or lessee shall: 25
“(1) After October 1, 2026, purchase a sealed shed structure to store trash and 26
recycling bins that is made out of rodent-proof materials, as designated by the Department of 27
Public Works; 28
“(2) Complete the training described in subsection (g) of this section; and 29
“(3) Submit a rebate claim to the Mayor in a manner to be determined by the 30
Mayor. 31
“(d)(1) Upon approval of a rebate claim submitted pursuant to subsection (c) of this 32
section, the Program shall provide a rebate up to $300 per residential address; provided, that the 33
amount of the rebate shall not exceed the purchase price of the waste container shed. 34
“(2) Rebates shall be sent to the residential property owner or lessee within 30 35
days after the rebate claim is approved. 36
“(3) Rebates shall be contingent upon the availability of funds. 37
“(e) To be eligible for a voucher provided for in this section, a residential property owner 38
or lessee shall: 39
“(1) Complete the training described in subsection (g) of this section; and 40
“(2) Submit a voucher application to the Mayor in a manner to be determined by 41
the Mayor. 42
“(f)(1) Upon approval of a voucher application submitted pursuant to subsection (e) of 43
this section, the Program shall provide a voucher of up to $300 per residential address for a 44
rodent-proof waste container shed bought at an authorized retailer. 45
“(2) Vouchers shall be sent to the residential property owner or lessee within one 46
week after the voucher application is approved. 47
“(3) Vouchers shall be contingent upon the availability of funds. 48
“(g)(1) The Mayor, or a contractor selected by the Mayor, shall provide in-person or 49
remote, through videoconference or pre-recorded training video, training for District residents on 50
proper storage of trash cans and rodent prevention methods. 51
“(2) The Mayor may enter into a memorandum of agreement with a retailer 52
allowing the retailer to become an authorized retailer in the District. 53
“(A) To be eligible to serve as an authorized retailer, the retailer shall: 54
“(i) Have a physical retail location in the District as of the 55
applicability date of the Rodent Abatement Through Smart Solutions Amendment Act of 2025, 56
as introduced on DATE, 2025 (Bill 26-XXX); or 57
“(ii) Be eligible to be certified as a certified business enterprise, as 58
that term is defined in second 2302(1D) of the Small and Certified Business Enterprise 59
Development Assistance Act of 2005, effective October 20, 2005 (D.C. Law 16-33; D.C. 60
Official Code § 2-218.02(1D)). 61
“Sec. 112h. Public litter container replacement. 62
“(a) The Department of Public Works (“DPW”) shall replace public litter containers 63
throughout the District in accordance with the process described in subsection (b) of this section. 64
“(b) Before replacing a public litter container, DPW shall: 65
“(1) Receive a request for replacement; 66
“(2) Confirm that the public litter container in need of replacement is 67
already serviced by DPW for trash and recycling collection; 68
“(3) Ensure the replacement container complies with rodent-proof trash 69
bin technology, including fullness sensors and fully sealed containers, as determined by DPW in 70
consultation with the D.C. Health Rodent and Vector Control Division; 71
“(4) If the conditions in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection are 72
satisfied, issue a written notice of intent to replace a public litter container to the Council and the 73
affected Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (“ANC”) and provide the Council and affected 74
ANCs 30 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, to respond; and 75
“(5) Give great weight to any comment from an affected ANC, pursuant to 76
section 13(d)(3)(A) of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions Act of 1975, effective March 77
26, 1976 (D.C. Law 1-58; D.C. Official Code § 1-309.10(d)(3)(A)). 78
Sec. 112i. Residential trash can replacement. 79
“(a) The Department of Public Works shall replace all waste with evidence of destruction 80
from rodents on a single block within the same timeframe. 81
“(b) The replacement shall prioritize: 82
“(1) Residential areas of the District which have had the highest calls to 311 for 83
rodent-related complaints; 84
“(2) Areas of the city where DPW has gotten the most requests for residential 85
waste container replacement; 86
“(3) Replacing residential waste containers in all 8 Wards; and 87
“(4) Areas with a high concentration of residential waste containers serviced by 88
DPW, rather than private collection. 89
“(c) DPW shall: 90
“(1) Inform the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the Single Member 91
District for the block and residents on the block of when they will be replacing waste containers at 92
least 2 weeks prior; and 93
“(2) Inform the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the Single Member 94
District for the block and residents on the block of how to indicate that their waste containers 95
need to be replaced.”. 96
Sec. 3. Title II of the Trash Compactor Tax Incentive Amendment Act of 2014, effective 97
March 11, 2015 (D.C. Law 20-223; D.C. Official Code § 8-751 et seq.), is revived as of the 98
applicability date of this act, and amended to read as follows: 99
“Sec. 201. Definitions. 100
“For the purposes of this section, the term: 101
“(1) “Business” means a single enterprise or a consortium of enterprises set up for 102
the common purpose of acquiring a commercial trash compactor for the use of each enterprise in 103
the consortium. 104
“(2) “Commercial trash compactor” means a structure used by businesses to 105
collect and compact bulk trash and other waste that is energy efficient and reduces the likelihood 106
of accidental pollution through spills or wind-blown debris. 107
“(3) “CTC Program” means the commercial trash compactor acquisition grant 108
program established by section 202. 109
“(4) “Grant Administration Act” means the Grant Administration Act of 2013, 110
effective December 24. 2012 (D.C. Law 20-61; D.C. Official Code § 1-328.11 et seq.). 111
“(5) “Grantee” means a business that meets the criteria and standards established 112
for the CTC program, as required by section 1094 of the Grant Administration Act and receives a 113
grant pursuant to this title. 114
“(6) “Grantor” means the Mayor or the Mayor’s delegate, including a District 115
agency, board, commission, instrumentality, or other program, or an individual within such an 116
entity. 117
“Sec. 202. Commercial trash compactor acquisition grant program. 118
“(a)(1) There is established a commercial trash compactor acquisition grant program to 119
financially assist a business or Main Street in the acquisition through purchase or lease of a 120
commercial trash compactor. 121
“(2) The CTC program shall be administered by the Mayor pursuant to the Grant 122
Administration Act; provided, that, notwithstanding section 1095(1) of the Grant Administration 123
act, the CTC program grant application process may be established with an open-ended closing, 124
allowing a business to apply for a grant and for the grantor, subject to subsection (b)(1) of this 125
section, to approve a grant at any time, in accordance with rules issued pursuant to this title or 126
the notice established pursuant to section 1094(c) of the Grant Administration Act. 127
“(b)(1)(A) A grant shall be awarded to eligible applicants in priority order of receipt of 128
the grant application to the extent that the funds allocated for this purpose in an approved annual 129
budget and financial plan or available pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph are 130
sufficient to allow the grant. 131
“(B) The Mayor shall make available no less than $2 million per fiscal 132
year for the CTC program grants. 133
“(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of D.C. Official Code § 47-368.06, grants 134
that may be awarded pursuant to this section may include grants that the Mayor or an agency 135
receives through an intra-District transfer, a memorandum of understanding, or a reprogramming 136
from an agency lacking grant-making authority. 137
“(c) Subject to subsection (b)(1) of this section, the grantor shall award a grantee a grant 138
in an amount: 139
“(1) Not to exceed $12,000 toward the leasing of a commercial trash compactor; 140
the amount to be based on terms and length of time in the lease; or 141
“(2) Not to exceed $36,000 for the purchase of a commercial trash compactor. 142
“(d) The Chief Financial Officer may audit the accounts of a business receiving a CTC 143
program grant up to 3 years following the issuance of the grant. 144
“Sec. 203. The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative 145
Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), 146
may issue rules to implement the provisions of this title.”. 147
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 148
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 149
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 150
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 151
Sec. 5. Effective date. 152
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 153
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 154
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 155
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 156