By Scott Etkin
Trash bags piled high on the street for collection have long been ubiquitous in New York City. But new rules from the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) are set to test the city’s ability to put out trash in bins instead of bags – a shift known formally as “containerization.”
Beginning November 12, residential buildings with fewer than ten units will be required to set out their trash in bins with wheels and a secure lid. Low density housing (homes with one to nine units) makes up 95% of New York City residential buildings, a DSNY representative told the Rag via email. The Upper West Side likely has a smaller percentage of buildings of this size, but DSNY did not have a neighborhood breakdown. Larger buildings could be expected to begin participating in containerization in future years (more details on the timeline below).
The goal of containerization is to tackle the city’s rat problem. Rodents can easily get at discarded food in plastic trash bags, using their teeth and claws, and often leaving litter strewn on the street. Hard-sided, lidded bins are much more difficult for them to break into, says DSNY, based on results of a containerization pilot program in District 9, which runs from West 110th Street to West 155th Street. The pilot was implemented on 10 residential blocks and at 14 schools in Hamilton Heights beginning in September 2023. According to DSNY, rat sightings reported to 311 decreased by 60% after bins were used in the pilot area.
Starting November 12, small buildings can use any type of bin for trash that holds up to 55 gallons and has a secure lid. Official NYC Bins, which fit this criteria, are available for purchase by residential buildings for about one third the price of similar bins. If buildings don’t buy one now, the official bins will be required to be used by June 2026, according to draft rules announced by DSNY.
What’s Next
DSNY’s vision is to eventually containerize all the city’s trash. The department plans a phased approach, starting with the November 12 requirement for small residential buildings. Requirements will differ for buildings of different sizes:
- As noted above, small buildings (fewer than 10 units) will be required to use wheeled bins with a secure lid, 55 gallons or less.
- Medium-sized buildings (10-30 units) will be able to choose between using wheeled bins or a large, stationary container (known as an “Empire Bin”) that will be installed by DSNY.
- Large buildings (more than 30 units) will be required to use Empire Bins.
The plan for a citywide expansion of containerization for medium-sized and large buildings is not expected in the near term – this timeline and process will be determined based on learnings from an upcoming pilot set in Manhattan Community District 9, the site of the previous 10-block pilot program.
Here are the key dates for the new District 9 pilot, according to draft rules announced by DSNY:
- In mid-December, residential buildings in District 9 with 10 to 30 units will be able to opt-in to using an Empire Bin. The deadline to complete this request is February 1, 2025.
- In May 2025, DSNY plans to begin installing Empire Bins in District 9 in front of buildings with 10 to 30 units that opted in, as well as buildings with 31 or more units. (The existing containers from the previous pilot will also be removed from Hamilton Heights at this time.)
- By June 2025, all buildings in District 9 will be expected to use containers for their trash – either wheeled bins or Empire Bins.
More Context on Containerization
New York lags many other major cities when it comes to trash containerization. According to a report by DSNY, more than two dozen large cities in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America all use some form of containerization.
New York City faces unique challenges when it comes to implementing containerization citywide, including: a large, dense population; lack of alleyways between buildings; no space for underground storage; the expectation of free street parking; and occasionally snowy weather. (The New York Times provides a thorough explanation – HERE.)
“The unique density and streetscape of New York City has long been used as an excuse to do nothing about our biggest infrastructural challenges,” Jessica Tisch, DSNY’s Commissioner said in a statement. “New York City’s exceptionalism cannot be used as an excuse to accept the status quo when the status quo is mediocrity. We can have the clean, trash-free streets that other cities have, if we are only willing to do the work.”
As of March of this year, all the city’s commercial businesses have been required to set out their trash in bins. Some of the city’s neighborhood Business Improvement Districts, including the one in Lincoln Square, have also started using bins to store bags of trash collected from sidewalk litter and full litter baskets nearby.
Once the containerization of trash from residential buildings with 1-9 units goes into effect, 70% of all of NYC’s trash will be containerized.
Read more:
- Sanitation Explanation: Curbside Composting and Containerization FAQ
- 4 UWS Schools Get New Trash Bins Through DSNY Pilot Program Aimed At Alleviating Rats
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Am I the only one that thinks these containers are a huge eyesore? At least the rats run away and hide. No hiding those “Empire Bins”
And the piles of plastic bags of garbage they’re replacing were attractive?
No but they were only there for like 10 or 12 hours, not a permanent fixture.
My husband and i live in a small single family landmarked brownstone whose exterior width is a little over 16 feet. Because of the configuration of the stoop and the shrubs which we have had planted for decades, there is no room for the four containers which compliance would now require. I have no room inside my garden floor for the containers either, much less the ability as a 72 year old to cart them out to the curb and rescue them after ever changing pickup times. As my neighbors will attest, I work on a lot of Sanitation in the neighborhood, almost every day sweeping up litter from the sidewalk, curb and street, picking up dog poop left by careless neighbrors for well over a block in all directions. In mid October i purchased two small 13 gallon containers with secure lids without wheels, one for compost and one for garbage, which I can fit in my basement and which I carry out to the curb. Both were stolen by the morning after i put them out. There are 10 houses on my short blocks from 105th to 106th, If we all had the four required big containers, that is 40 containers on a narrow landmarked block. There has got to be a better solution for small single family homes.
You should meet with your neighbors and advocate for a community container for everyone that can be installed mid-block, so that no one has to walk too far. If you are a resident of 105th between WEA and Riverside, then you know what a huge issue rats are on that block and should want to do everything in your power to reduce their numbers. It is a horror show of rats shooting across the pavement at night, and, in the morning, the result is torn open garbage bags with their contents strewn everywhere. It’s absolutely disgusting, and I hope you can find a solution by working with your neighbors.
Throwing your garbage in the street and blocking side walks and bringing rats is not one of them.
I put my garbage out in the morning about 6 am now that my container was stolen. I sweep up the garbage from the bags left out by my neighbors. For a whole blocks of small buildings we need community containerization at least in Manhattan where houses have no side yards, garages, and extremely limited space in front.
I work on the UES and this morning I saw trash cans literally chained to the front doors of buildings and stores. It looks horrible, it blocks the sidewalk , and minimizes the waiting space at the bus stops. There has to be a better solution. I like the idea of community containerization.
Community containerization will then put unsightly garbage containers permanently in front of people’s homes and businesses. The ideal solution to this is scheduling residential garbage collection to coincide with alternate side parking regulations. The sanitation workers working the garbage trucks and the street sweepers are separate anyways. You have the trash put out the morning of trash collection right before alternate side takes effect which is normally anywhere from 8 to 11:30 am, then once alternate side is over, the garbage is gone. Also instead of permanently removing parking spots, since cars are technically supposed to move for alternate side somehow, I am sure it can be worked out so that the garbage trucks go through the blocks without incident during the same hour and a half window. Also rats come out overnight and not during the day
What a common sense answer – thank you. Why can’t we try this first?
I love how wealthy heiress department of sanitation commissioner Tisch thinks nothing of making all the porters and supers of this city work much more, and much later for the same pay. Not to mention how she makes garbage collectors work overnight hours at the risk to their health and the health of taxpayers whom she wakes up in the middle of the night four nights a week. Tisch is a disaster of having no clue what real people go through.
Garbage collection at night in NYC — scandalous and unprecedented!
If they’re working much more and much later, what makes you think it will be the same pay? Surely they get overtime under their contracts if they are working longer hours? Surely if this is lots more work the union can use this to get a pay hike during the next negotiation?
Also I love New York but our streets are disgusting. Why should Americans not be expected to put their trash in bins as in almost every other city you’ve ever heard of?
The problem is that this has been weaponized for a war on cars. So this has become a culture war issue instead of merely a sanitation issue. Also outdoor dining made the rat problem worse.
Notice how there is no mention of the bike docks? Shocking.
Since all compostables, in larger buildings, now have to go in closed bins, why does the rest of the garbage have to go in bins since rats will not be interested in anything in that garbage?
The rats have won. Take a walk, Our lovely streets have been turned into back alleyways lined with overflowing trash containers that don’t go away, they are there 7 days a week 24 hours a day. There are better ways to address the rat issue. We’ve done them with great success on our UWS block. Why has this mandate been pushed through without public hearings and resident input? We live here, pay taxes and should have a say. Thank you elected officials if you can get this degradation of our neighborhood reconsidered.
To do this properly, all trash containers should bear the name of their building so the building can be fined if they’re left on the sidewalk after pickup, as 40 year old UWS asserts is happening.
To be clearer Lisa, the main issue isn’t failure to remove from the curb after pickup, it’s that many townhouses are forced to store those multiple containers on the sidewalk 24/7 because they have no room inside for them.
Everything in every building should be in closed bins.
Seems to me a huge problem as people passing by are now leaving trash – typically food – on top of closed bins and/or opening bins and leaving trash….
That’s no different than before. People place (drop) trash (litter) on top of garbage bags put out on the street for sanitation pick-up.
Just like the DOT take over of 96th street, there has been no public hearings on this. How is it that these agencies get to do (seemingly) whatever they want while (for example) the smallest alteration of a building has to go through a lengthly review process by the CB’s and landmarks? It makes youu wonder where the real power of this city lies.
Regarding rats…
I love trees, but……the City keeps adding trees to blocks that already have multiple trees.
This means more rat burrows, especially on side streets.
Also trees now spaced too closely and not able to flourish.
In contrast , many areas in the boroughs have very few trees,
Phew, who knew the rats had such a powerful lobby among UWS residents?
This may be literally the ONLY good thing Adams accomplishes in his (likely) one term.
these are not going to fit on my narrow street which also has narrow sidewalks.
Many pre-war buildings such as on Central Park West were built with an outside alley area where trash can be stored – until it needs to be put out for pick-up.
Of course, the City (years ago) could have required that new high rise apartments be built with sufficient trash storage.
Yes it would add to the cost.
But luxury developers don’t hesitate to add “cool” but costly amenities like dog playrooms etc.
Check out the new high rise buildings on the narrow streets of “FiDi”.
There is zero space on the sidewalk when trash is put out on Fulton Street, Beekman (Gehry Building ).
Unbelievable.
Recycling needs to be in bins too!! And why on earth is this taking so long?? It’s impossible to walk down side streets when the garbage & recycling is out. It’s also disgusting.