NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a major expansion of the city’s trash containerization program on April 17.
The city will extend the use of curbside “Empire Bins” to six additional sanitation districts by the end of 2027, with the goal for full containerized trash collection by 2031.
The new areas include: Greenwich Village and SoHo in Manhattan, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, Sunnyside and Woodside in Queens, Hunts Point and University Heights in the Bronx and the North Shore of Staten Island.
“Containerization is a long overdue step in bringing our city’s trash collection into the modern era, putting an end to the piles of garbage that have become far too common across our city,” Julia Kerson, deputy mayor for operations, said at a press conference.
“We will be hard at work rolling out this program throughout the five boroughs, keeping our public realm clean, safe and enjoyable for all New Yorkers.”
Empire Bins are large, lidded curbside trash containers that can only be opened with a keycard by building staff or sanitation workers.
The bins are emptied by specially designed side-loading garbage trucks that lift and dump the containers mechanically, reducing the need for workers to haul trash by hand.
Empire Bins will also take up street parking, something New Yorkers already struggle to find. When fully implemented, they can take up thousands of parking spots.
However, this expansion is no easy feat because of the cost and time it takes to obtain the side-loading trucks, which are custom-built and have not been used in North America before. The trucks are assembled through a combination of American and Italian parts and designs.
“These bins and the trucks that service them did not exist two years ago,” Sanitation Commissioner Gregory Anderson said.
“We are now building a new supply chain that stretches across the Atlantic Ocean to get those trucks here, built, and ready to use. That takes time.”
Buildings with 31 or more units are required to use Empire Bins for trash, while buildings with 10 to 30 units can choose between the Empire Bins or individual trash bins.
This move builds on a program first launched by former Mayor Eric Adams, who introduced the Empire Bins in Harlem in 2024. City officials said rat sightings in that area decreased by 25%.
“In the wealthiest city in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, no New Yorker should have their sidewalks covered in garbage,” Mamdani said. “By finishing the job on containerization, we will ensure New York City’s streets remain the envy of the world.”
If successful, this expansion could transform how the city handles trash and possibly lessen residents’ encounters with rats on the streets.
“We have the plan, we’re investing the money and we’re delivering on the promise of clean, healthy streets for every neighborhood,” Mamdani said.
