New York’s Trash War: Brooklyn Gets Empire Bins, but What Does It Mean for You?

Brooklyn residents, get ready to see some new friends on the street: on-street trash containers known as Empire Bins. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that 700 of these bins are being installed in Brooklyn Community District 2, with the goal of full containerization by the end of fall 2026. This move follows the success of a pilot program in West Harlem, where trash was fully containerized in June 2025.

These Empire Bins are no small potatoes. Each bin can hold about 794 gallons of waste, or roughly 25 large 32-gallon trash bags. For buildings with 10 to 30 units, the choice is between an Empire Bin or smaller 'wheelie bins.' Trash is collected from these bins three times a week by automated side-loading garbage trucks, a technology developed in the DSNY’s 'Future of Trash' report.

While the bins are a step towards a cleaner city, they come with a price tag. The city plans to add 6,500 bins across six more community districts by the end of 2027, with a budget of about $15 million for next year and $35.5 million over the next fiscal year. The ultimate goal is full containerization by 2031, serving roughly 1.8 million homes.

So, what does this mean for you? If you're a resident or a digital nomad living in Brooklyn, you'll likely see more of these bins in your neighborhood. Property managers and building staff will need to learn how to use key cards or a new mobile app to access the bins. Additionally, expect more frequent collection, but also a cleaner street, potentially leading to fewer rats.