Official NYC Bin availability expands ahead of deadline

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has announced that all nine sizes and colors of its official NYC Bins are now available at Home Depot locations in the city for in-store pickup. 

The bins are also available for delivery through Instacart, DoorDash or Uber Eats. Buildings with 1 to 9 residential units will be required to use the bins for trash starting in June as part of the city’s plan to remove trash bags from sidewalks, reclaim public space and improve quality of life. 

DSNY says New Yorkers have already ordered approximately 1 million NYC Bins since they were unveiled in July 2024. Since November 2024, the department says rat sightings have been down every month when compared to the same month one year prior.  

NYC Bins are available in different sizes for all waste streams, including trash, paper, metal, glass, plastic and compost. While the official bin is only required for trash, the others are available for those who would like a matching set.  

The 45-gallon bin is recommended for properties with multiple residential units. It can hold up to four kitchen-sized trash bags and is available for trash, paper and metal, glass and plastic.  

The 35-gallon bin is recommended for smaller buildings or single-family homes. It can hold up to three kitchen-sized trash bags and is available for trash, paper or metal, glass and plastic. 

The 25-gallon bin is recommended for properties with space restrictions or those that don’t produce much trash. It can hold up to two kitchen-sized trash bags.  

The 21-gallon compost bin is recommended for larger buildings, with a 13-gallon bin available for smaller buildings. 

The NYC Bin was selected following the city's release of a request for proposal (RFP) in October 2023 to contract a vendor to produce official NYC Bins. In the RFP, DSNY mandated that the vendor produce bins according to specifications including but not limited to keeping the cost around $50 for the most common size, available in multiple sizes, rat-resistant, easy to use for sanitation workers and compatible with mechanized collection trucks. 

Some New Yorkers had previously ordered bins online but have not yet received delivery of their bins; DSNY says all outstanding online delivery orders are ongoing and are targeted for completion by late March. Those customers will receive an email notification when the bins are scheduled for delivery.