New York City has begun enforcing a trash-container requirement that requires owners of residential buildings with one to nine units to use official NYC Bins instead of leaving black garbage bags on sidewalks.
The Department of Sanitation began issuing $50 summonses Sept. 8 after a summer warning period for property owners, according to Patch.com.
The rule took effect June 1, with nearly 30,000 warnings issued during the summer. Fines increase to $100 for a second offense and $200 for a third and subsequent offenses. The requirement applies to property owners, while tenants should continue following their building’s existing trash-disposal instructions.
For Brooklyn homeowners and residents, the change is part of the city’s effort to reduce rat activity and keep garbage contained. Official NYC Bins have secure lids and are designed to resist rodents while working with mechanical equipment being added to sanitation trucks.
The enforcement is particularly relevant to Brooklyn neighborhoods included in the city’s Rat Mitigation Zones. During the latest six-month period cited by Patch, 17.6% of initial inspections in the Bed-Stuy and Bushwick zone failed because inspectors found evidence of active rat activity.
The city is also moving toward larger-scale containerization. This fall, the Sanitation Department plans to begin installing sealed Empire Bins in Brooklyn Community District 2, including Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights.
Property owners can purchase official NYC Bins at Home Depot stores across the city or arrange delivery through services including Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats.
The city plans to expand containerization citywide by 2031. The broader rollout is expected to replace nearly 30,000 parking spaces while making residential trash collection easier for sanitation workers.
For Brooklyn property owners covered by the rule, ensuring all trash is placed in the required bins is now necessary to avoid escalating fines.
