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The war on rats and seemingly endless piles of garbage continues: New York City's latest trash bin rules officially go into effect today, November 12.
"New York City will finally remove the mountains of black bags from our streets, reclaiming public space and improving quality of life," reads an official statement by the New York City Department of Sanitation. Let's all hope that's actually going to be the case.
Before we get into the details of the new requirements, keep in mind that officials have implemented a warning period that will be in effect through January 2, 2025. After that, all those disobeying the guidelines will face a $50 fine.
What is the new rule for trash bins in NYC?
From now on, residential buildings in NYC that boast one to nine units will be required to place their trash bags inside specific bins to be collected. No more garbage bags on the sidewalk—woohoo!
What trash bins does everyone have to use?
Required cans have to be 55 gallons or less and feature a secure lid.
If the bin that you already own meets all requirements, you can continue using it until June 2026. At that point, all buildings will switch to the new official can—which you can start ordering and using right now here or by calling 1-855-NYC-BINS.
Keep in mind that, according to the Sanitation Department, the products are only available to property owners and building managers across the five boroughs.
If you placed an order for a bin before October 1, you should have it by now. If you have yet to buy a new trash cash, expect the order to be fulfilled on a rolling basis.
Officials suggest purchasing 35-gallon bins ($45.88 before taxes and fees) if living in single-family homes. The product can hold up to three kitchen trash bags at once. The 45-gallon option ($53.01 before taxes and fees), on the other hand, is ideal for multiple residential units as it holds up to four kitchen trash bags.
The official city bins are rat-resistant, compatible with collection trucks and come with a 10-year warranty.
Here's one more piece of useful information: if your new bins are stolen (this is New York, after all), you can file a report with the New York Police Department. Let's hope it never gets to that.
The new guidelines do no apply to recycling and composting, but you might want to read up on that in our "how to compost, recycle and get rid of anything in NYC" guide.