By admin 
Since last November, apartment buildings with fewer than 10 units, including single-family homes, have been were instructed to use a 55 gallon or less waste bin with a tight-fitting lid to dispose of their waste.
Additionally, some homeowners have already started using official NYC bins to dispose of their household waste.
Some wonder: Should they also use an official NYC trash can to dispose of their recyclables?
The answer is no: recyclables do not have to sit in a NYC bin.
“Right now, any trash can is good, as is a clear plastic bag,” said Vincent Gragnani, press secretary for the city’s Department of Sanitation.
However, from June 2026, residents will no longer be able to use their own waste containers for recyclable materials. Recyclables must be placed in a bag or in an official NYC bin.
Cardboard can easily be tied with string and left on the sidewalk for collection, Gragnani said.
That same month, residents must start using an official NYC trash bin to dispose of their household waste as well.
The bins are manufactured by Otto, a North Carolina-based company, and are available in two sizes.
A 35-gallon container containing about three kitchen trash bags will cost New Yorkers $45.88.
The other, a 45-gallon container, which holds about four kitchen garbage bags, costs $53.01.
Residents can still use their own waste containers until June 2026. However, after that date, use of the NYC Bins is mandatory.
Those who don’t follow the rules will face a first fine of $50. A second violation will cost $100, and $200 is the fine for all subsequent violations.
You can recycle your old trash cans by placing them upside down at the curb on recycling day, with a note stating that the containers should be recycled.
To protect against theft, the official NYC bins have a serial number for radio frequency identification and a place for residents to write their address.