On October 12, State Assemblyman William Colton announced that the city should provide free garbage bins while partnering with 550 residents from Brooklyn to launch a petition. This initiative comes in response to New York City’s new “garbage revolution” regulations requiring residential buildings with nine units or fewer to switch to government-approved covered bins by November 12 or face fines of over $50 per incident.
Mayor Eric Adams had previously introduced this new policy in July as part of a two-phase plan aimed at tackling both the cleanliness of the city and rodent issues. The first phase requires homeowners or landlords to replace their current trash receptacles with 55-gallon covered bins by November 12, and these bins do not need to be officially marked. The second phase mandates that, by June 2026, all trash receptacles must be replaced with city-approved bins featuring reinforced lids and official city markings.
According to city information, the official bins come in two sizes: the 35-gallon version sells for $45.88 and the 45-gallon version for $53.01, available for purchase at https://www.bins.nyc/.
Colton has emphasized that the city should provide these official garbage bins for free, noting that the new regulations could impose a financial burden on low-income families. He pointed to the city’s previous initiative to distribute compost bins for free and argued that the same courtesy should apply to the required garbage bins. “Many residents already have bins that comply with city regulations; the city should not ask struggling homeowners to spend an additional $50,” he stated.
Colton also raised awareness that once the new regulations take effect on November 12, the city will begin issuing warnings to homeowners who do not have covered bins in place. Starting in January 2025, fines will be implemented: first offenses will incur a $50 fine, second offenses $100, with increasing fines for subsequent violations.
In response to these concerns, Jessica Tisch, the commissioner of the Department of Sanitation, acknowledged the severity of the rodent problem but argued that it is “unreasonable” to force residents who already comply with regulations to purchase new bins that display city markings. She expressed the view that the policy would disproportionately impact seniors and low-income homeowners.
As of now, the city has not yet responded to the petition initiated by Colton and the residents.
