Black or Dark Grey (Official NYC Bin required for 1-9 units) Bin (Trash)
Starting June 2026, properties with 1-9 units must use the official NYC Bin (55 gallons or less with a secure latching lid). Trash must be set out after 6:00 PM the night before collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Wrappers and chip bags
- ✓Hygiene products
- ✓Standard household refuse
Green (Paper/Cardboard) and Blue (Metal/Glass/Plastic) Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be separated into two streams. They must be placed in appropriate rigid bins with secure lids after 6:00 PM, or in clear plastic bags after 8:00 PM for larger buildings.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Newspapers and magazines
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Rigid plastic containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Tangled cords or hoses
- ✕Aerosol cans containing hazardous materials
Yard Waste Bin
Composting is mandatory citywide. All organics must be stored in a secure DSNY brown bin or a customized bin (55 gallons or less) with a tight-fitting lid to prevent rodent access.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, bones, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, greasy pizza boxes)
- ✓Fallen leaves
- ✓Small twigs and grass clippings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to 6 items per regular collection day
Placement
Place items curbside between 6:00 PM and midnight the night before your scheduled collection day. Items must not block pedestrian pathways.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and chairs
- ✓ Tables and desks
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be sealed)
- ✓ Large metal appliances (requires CFC appt if cooling)
- ✓ Scrap metal and bicycles
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Propane tanks and compressed gas cylinders
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Commercial or industrial waste
- ✕ Televisions and computers (E-waste)
Curbside bulk collection is completely free for NYC residents, funded by municipal taxes.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
On city-observed holidays, all DSNY collections are suspended. Residents will typically experience a one-day delay, pushing collection to the next consecutive day.
Yard Waste Exception
Compost collection follows the same holiday suspension rules as regular refuse. Hold your organics in a secure bin until your rescheduled pickup day.
Since New York City does not have a universal pickup day, holiday impacts vary widely by address. Always consult the DSNY portal or 311 app during holiday weeks.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Bin
Never place your metal, glass, and plastic recyclables inside opaque garbage bags or standard plastic shopping bags. Loose plastic bags jam the gears at the city's recycling sorting facilities.
The Greasy Pizza Box Solution
Cardboard saturated with oil and cheese cannot be processed into new paper. Tear the clean lid off and put it in your green recycling bin, but throw the greasy bottom half into your brown compost bin.
Batteries Cause Truck Fires
Never throw lithium-ion batteries, vape pens, or e-bike batteries into regular trash or recycling. They frequently get crushed in DSNY compactor trucks and start dangerous fires. Take them to a SAFE Disposal Event.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - MarchWhen a severe snowstorm hits, DSNY shifts from garbage collection to snow plowing operations. Expect immediate, unannounced delays to all trash, recycling, and compost pickups until the streets are cleared.
Summer
June - AugustIf you are replacing a window AC unit during a heatwave, you cannot simply leave the old one on the curb. You must schedule a CFC/Freon removal appointment online before DSNY will haul it away.
Fall
October - NovemberDuring autumn leaf-fall, all leaves must be diverted from standard trash. Place them in your brown compost bin, in unlined rigid containers, or in biodegradable paper lawn and leaf bags.
About New York Waste Management
The 2026 NYC Trash Revolution: Mandatory Containerization
New York City is aggressively tackling its rodent population by completely overhauling how residents set out garbage. Starting June 1, 2026, properties with 1 to 9 residential units are strictly required to use the official 'NYC Bin' for trash. Loose black bags sitting on the curb are officially a thing of the past for smaller buildings. Fines will be issued to building owners who fail to comply with these rigorous containerization mandates.
Conquering the Two-Stream Recycling System
Unlike single-stream cities, NYC demands that residents separate their recyclables into two distinct categories. Paper and flattened corrugated cardboard belong in a green bin or a clear bag. Meanwhile, metal cans, glass bottles, and rigid plastics must go into a blue bin or a separate clear bag. Mixing these two streams can result in uncollected waste and potential sanitation citations.
Mandatory Citywide Composting Rules
The era of throwing food scraps into the regular garbage is over in the five boroughs. NYC has rolled out mandatory curbside composting citywide. Every household must separate food waste, food-soiled paper, and yard debris from standard refuse. These organics must be placed in a designated DSNY brown bin with a secure latching lid, drastically reducing the amount of methane-producing waste sent to landfills.
Strategic Set-Out Times to Deter Pests
To minimize the amount of time trash sits on the sidewalk, the Department of Sanitation has implemented strict set-out hours. If you are using a rigid container with a tight-fitting lid (which is mandatory for smaller buildings), you can place it at the curb starting at 6:00 PM the evening before your scheduled pickup. If you live in a building with 10 or more units and your management still uses bags, they cannot be placed on the curb until 8:00 PM.
Navigating Bulk Item Pickups Without Penalties
Getting rid of an old sofa or a broken toaster oven doesn't require a special appointment in most cases. NYC allows up to six bulk items per collection day. However, you must schedule your drop-off correctly: non-metal bulk items go out the night before your regular trash day, while metal and rigid plastic bulk items must be placed out the night before your recycling collection day.
Drop-off Facilities
DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off Sites (Various Borough Locations)
e.g., 400 Bay Street (Staten Island) or 459 North Henry Street (Brooklyn)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still put loose black trash bags on the sidewalk?
For properties with 1 to 9 units, no. Starting in late 2024 and fully mandated with official bins by June 2026, smaller residential buildings must use a rigid container with a tight-fitting lid. Buildings with 10 or more units can still use heavy-duty black bags, provided they are set out after 8:00 PM.
Do I have to wrap my old mattress before throwing it away?
Yes, absolutely. By NYC law, any mattress or box spring placed on the curb must be fully sealed inside a plastic bag to prevent the spread of bed bugs. If it is unsealed, DSNY will refuse to collect it and you may face a $100 fine.
How do I get rid of an old television or laptop?
New York State law prohibits electronics from being thrown in the curbside trash. You must bring TVs, computers, and monitors to a SAFE Disposal Event, drop them at a DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off site, or return them to participating electronics retailers.
What happens if I don't participate in the mandatory compost program?
Composting food scraps and yard waste is now mandatory across all five boroughs. Property owners who fail to separate organics from standard garbage or fail to place them in a secure, designated bin are subject to fines starting at $25 for the first offense and scaling up for repeat violations.