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Owners of small NYC buildings face fines for failure to use official trash bins
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 7, 2026
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Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 7, 2026
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New York City sanitation officials will begin cracking down on small buildings not using the city’s official trash bins starting Tuesday.
Fines for failing to use an official “NYC Bin” range from $50 to $200 for repeat offenders. Small residential buildings of one to nine units are required to use the bins to store all trash for pickup. There are roughly 750,000 such buildings in the five boroughs.
The start of enforcement signals the end of a grace period that followed complaints from some City Council members that it was too hard for homeowners to purchase the bins. Supplies of the bins dwindled after the manufacturer declared bankruptcy. Sanitation department spokesperson Joshua Goodman said the bins remain available for sale.
The bins can be purchased at any Home Depot in the city for around $60, depending on the model.
The measure is part of the city’s effort to reduce the rat population by getting trash into containers and off of sidewalks.
The official NYC trash bin was famously introduced by then-Mayor Eric Adams in 2024 when he rolled one of the black receptacles down the driveway of Gracie Mansion. The spectacle of the mayor triumphantly plopping a black plastic garbage bag in a can became a symbol of how dysfunctional garbage collection had become in New York City.
The use of official NYC Bins has been mandatory for all buildings with 9 or fewer units since June. Sanitation officials say the official NYC Bin is only to be used for trash. Organic waste should be set out in a clearly labeled compost container, while recycling should be placed in a clear or blue plastic bag at the curb for collection.
Republican Councilmember Frank Morano said he appreciated the extra time for homeowners to comply, but said he still opposes the overall plan.
"What I've seen over the course of the last month is all over Staten Island, people throwing away perfectly good garbage pails because they're not the city-funded garbage pails,” he said.
Homeowners who received the STAR property tax exemption credit in the last two years can submit a reimbursement form for their bins.
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new york city
sanitation
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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