New York City’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has begun to strengthen enforcement measures. Starting from Tuesday, September 8, residential property owners who continue to place garbage directly on sidewalks in black trash bags may face a $50 fine.
Houses with 1 to 9 residential units, townhouses, and small apartment buildings that do not use the designated “NYC Bins” trash cans for regular garbage storage may be subject to fines and a $50 penalty. Subsequent violations can lead to a $100 fine, with potential fines reaching up to $200 per offense.
This regulation took effect on June 1 but the Department of Sanitation primarily focused on education and warnings during the summer, refraining from immediate penalties. During this period, the city issued nearly 30,000 warnings. Enforcement officially shifted to the penalty phase starting this Tuesday.
The new regulation primarily targets property owners rather than individual tenants.
The city has introduced “NYC Bins” for over two years, available for purchase at Home Depot stores in all five boroughs. The bins come in various sizes, with the largest capacity being 45 gallons, and selling for around $63.
Approximately 1.2 million NYC Bins have been sold citywide. However, during the summer outreach period, the Department of Sanitation still issued tens of thousands of violation warnings, indicating that many residential property owners have yet to complete the transition.
In addition to the small trash can requirements for properties with 1 to 9 units, New York City is also establishing an “Empire Bins” system for medium to large residential buildings.
For buildings with 31 units or more, the city will gradually introduce large, 800-gallon sealed garbage containers known as Empire Bins. These bins require a key card for access and will occupy some on-street parking spaces.
For buildings with 10 to 30 units, property owners can choose between using Empire Bins or smaller NYC Bins based on city arrangements.
This system has already been implemented in the 9th District of Manhattan, with approximately 1,100 Empire Bins installed in areas like West Harlem and Hamilton Heights.
This fall, the Department of Sanitation will expand the “Empire Bins” to Brooklyn’s 2nd District, covering neighborhoods like Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The city plans to install around 1,700 Empire Bins in this area. The following plan includes expanding to parts of the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island in 2027.
The city’s ultimate goal is to expand this containerized garbage collection system citywide by 2031. According to city estimates, once fully implemented, this system could potentially replace nearly 30,000 on-street parking spaces, while making it easier for sanitation workers to concentrate on and collect residential garbage.