Garbage Cans Go Missing Across NYC, Senator Says

NEW YORK, NY— Senator Ranker Chan confronted Mayor Zohran Mamdani about missing city-issued garbage cans at a budget hearing in Albany. Chan said residents had paid through a city website but never received the bins. A Department of Sanitation spokesperson said the official “NYC Bins” are sold through a private vendor and that payments are not processed by the city.

“We are aware of ongoing issues with the outside vendor that makes and delivers the bins failing to fulfill some orders at this time,” Vincent Gragnani, press secretary of the Department of Sanitation, said. “We are 100% committed to finding a solution.”

Mamdani acknowledged the issue and said the administration is coordinating with city agencies to track down the missing deliveries.

“We’ll follow up on this with DSM,” Mamdani said, “It’s an ongoing issue across the city.”

New York City’s Department of Sanitation recently rolled out a sweeping change in how residential trash is handled.

For the first time in decades, small residential buildings, those with one to nine units, must place trash in secure containers instead of loose bags at the curb.

The requirement for any bin with a secure lid took effect Nov. 12, 2024, and official “NYC Bins,” the city’s standardized containers, must be used by June 1.

The policy aims to reduce the rat population and improve cleanliness after years of reliance on black garbage bags that often attracted rodents and litter. Residents could order these official bins online or through designated channels at subsidized prices, and fines for non‑compliance will begin once enforcement starts.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that residents paid for NYC Bins through a city website. The bins are sold by a private vendor, and payments are not processed by the City of New York. The article has been updated to reflect that.