New York City’s battle against the mountains of trash bags that almost define the urban scene has turned a new chapter. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has introduced the new official NYC bins, equipped with wheels and a secure locking lid. These are the cheapest and highest quality bins available, priced under $50.
Additionally, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that DSNY has introduced a rule requiring all buildings with one to nine residential units, and all municipal agency buildings, places of worship, and professional offices located within residential zones to place their waste in these containers, beginning November 12, 2024.
“Many homeowners already use carts for their trash and pay upwards of $100 at retail to keep the streets clean. Well, we have great news: at the same time we are taking steps to require the use of these carts, we are introducing the ‘Official Trash Cart of New York’ – beautiful, durable and affordable,” said DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The medium-term goal is for 70% of the thousands of tons of garbage generated by the city to go directly into these special containers.
The “containerization” of trash in the Big Apple refers to the storage of waste in sealed, rodent-proof containers instead of plastic bags. It is intended to mechanize waste collection, reduce the visibility of trash in public spaces and reduce the presence of vermin.
Time to adjust
Many low-density and special-use residential buildings already use these containers to hold their trash, and the rule provides an 18-month period during which they can continue using the ones they already have, as long as those containers are 55 gallons or less and have a locking lid to keep rats out.
The new program aims to replace these special tanks, when they wear out, in a much more affordable way, which significantly reduces costs for small owners.
Beginning June 1, 2026, these buildings will be required to use the official New York City dumpster, to facilitate faster, safer, and cleaner mechanized collection using rear-loading “dump” garbage trucks.
The recommendation for property owners or managers, who are affected by this new rule, who do not currently have a container, is to purchase the “official NYC” one, since it is much cheaper than any product of its quality sold in retail stores.
While the requirements of this new rule only cover trash and compostable material, green (paper) and blue (metal, glass, plastic, boxes) NYC bins are also available, for any homeowner or manager who prefers a matching set.
Deposits must be requested by October 1 to ensure delivery before the new containerization requirement goes into effect on November 12.
Fines from January 2025
“Today we are throwing more black bags into the dustbin of history. And taking the next step forward in our ‘Trash Revolution’,” said the mayor.
The implementation of the new rule will include a warning period that will extend until the end of 2024, and the issuance of fines will begin on January 2, 2025.
As with existing commercial containerization requirements, the fine for leaving trash on New York City streets will be $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense, and $200 for a third offense.
DSNY will also engage in outreach activities around these new rules this summer, including through mailings, door-to-door canvassing, community and ethnic media outreach, and working with community boards and civic associations.
What’s coming
The launch of the official New York City bin and the rule requiring the use of low-density bins are the latest official steps in rethinking the relationship between 8.3 million New Yorkers and 14 billion pounds of trash annually. According to city data, these measures have led to “unprecedented” reductions in rat sightings, according to a statement.
Along the same route, installation of on-street stationary containers is expected to begin in Manhattan Community Board 9 in spring 2025, for the first borough-wide containerization pilot, serviced by new automated side-loading trucks.
“We are adding other tools to New York City’s rat mitigation efforts,” said Kathleen Corradi, the city’s rodent mitigation director.
“It’s complicated”
But despite all efforts, in downtown Manhattan, just a few blocks from Times Square, the tourist and commercial heart of the Big Apple, some merchants and tourists continue to complain about the constant scene of mountains of garbage.
“Look, we are talking about a Monday, at 10 in the morning. And you see this situation. There are new policies. And you can see the Mayor’s desire. But there are many people, both residents and merchants, who do not respect the rules. And here, particularly in the center, as businesses continue to reopen, there are more and more tons of garbage,” the owner of a pizzeria on Eighth Avenue, at the corner of 46th Street, told El Diario.
5 moments of the trash revolution
- In October 2022, the Adams Administration initiated the ‘Trash Revolution’ by changing residential and commercial trash collection times from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in April 2023.
- These scheduling changes and container alternatives were combined with significant changes to DSNY operations, with more than a quarter of all trash collected at 12:00 a.m. instead of 6:00 a.m., particularly in high-density parts of the city.
- In August 2023, containerization requirements went into effect for all food-related businesses in New York City. These businesses (restaurants, delis, wineries, bars, grocery stores, and catering companies) produce a massive amount of the kind of trash that attracts rats.
- In September 2023, commercial containerization requirements were extended to chain businesses of any type with five or more locations in New York City. These chain businesses tend to produce a large total volume of trash.
- In February 2024, the City unveiled a new automated side-loading refuse truck and a new data-driven containerization strategy.
- On March 1, 2024, container requirements went into effect for all businesses, of all types, in New York City to take their trash off the streets and deposit it in a secure container.
- On November 12, 2024, container requirements will go into effect for low-density residential buildings with one to nine units. At that time, approximately 70 percent of all city trash will be in containers.