NYC Launching New Sealed Trash Bin Program Citywide

Yisroel R.

New York City is moving forward with a major sanitation change that will replace traditional curbside garbage bags with sealed trash bins across multiple boroughs over the next several years.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that approximately 6,500 “Empire Bins” will be rolled out by the end of 2027 in parts of the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, introducing a new system already being tested in select neighborhoods. The bins are designed to keep trash contained and off sidewalks, which will improve overall street cleanliness and also reduce rat sightings.

The program will require residential buildings with 30 or more units to use the bins, while buildings with 10 to 30 units will have the option to opt in. Sanitation crews will service the bins using specialized side-loading trucks that lift and empty them directly into compactors, reducing the need for workers to handle loose garbage bags.

In Brooklyn, the bins have already been tested in several neighborhoods in recent months, including in school areas and residential sections. City officials say the program will continue expanding across additional parts of Brooklyn as part of the broader rollout.

Some critics say the new bins could take away thousands of New York City parking spots, as they will likely be placed in areas currently used for street parking.

“In the wealthiest city in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, no New Yorker should have their sidewalks covered in garbage,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement. “We have the plan, we’re investing the money and we’re delivering on the promise of clean, healthy streets for every neighborhood.”

Early use of the bins has already shown improvements in cleanliness in areas where they have been installed. The city is aiming to fully transition to containerized waste collection in the coming years, marking a significant shift in how trash is handled across New York City.