Council Member Joann Ariola has called on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to retract a city mandate ordering home owners to use the official NYC Bin by June following reports that the city’s official manufacturer and online vendor is experiencing significant issues.
Ariola also called on Mamdani and the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to allow smaller hardware stores to sell the official NYC Bin if rescinding the mandate proves impossible. At present, Home Depot is the only retailer authorized to sell the official bins.
The DSNY mandated in November 2024 that all properties with one to nine residential units, including one and two-family homes, are required to use bins, 55 gallons or less, with secure lids for trash set out.
By June 2026, all properties will be required to use official NYC Bins or face a $50 fine for a first offense, $100 fine for a second offense and a $200 fine for all subsequent offenses. Bins cost $45 for the 35-gallon size and $53 for the 45-gallon size.
Residents could previously purchase an official bin in-person at Home Depot or online through bin manufacturer Otto. However, several outlets have reported that New York residents have struggled to find any official bins available to purchase.
Meanwhile, a DSNY spokesperson confirmed that the agency is aware of “ongoing issues” with Otto, stating that the manufacturer is “failing to fulfil some orders” at present.
Ariola has penned a letter to Mamdani urging the Mayor to retract the current order mandating the use of the official bin and allow New Yorkers to use a trash can of their choosing. Failing that, Ariola wrote, the city should allow independent hardware stores to sell the official bins once it resolves ongoing manufacturing issues.
She said the current mandate was creating “unnecessary” hardship for small hardware stores and other stores that traditionally sold trash cans by “cutting them out of the equation entirely.” She added that the mandate also creates a burden for residents who may not have access to a Home Depot.
“This expansion of sales to our small businesses is something that I have asked for in the past, and never heard back about,” Ariola wrote in the letter. “If the city cannot completely retract the mandate, then I believe this is a necessity to keep our mom and pop shops running, and to ensure that New Yorkers can have easy access to the bins that are being forced upon them.”
A DSNY spokesperson said agency is confident that the current manufacturing issue will be resolved by the June deadline.
“We are aware of ongoing issues with the outside vendor that makes and delivers the bins failing to fulfill some orders at this time,” the agency said in a statement. “We appreciate your patience and are 100% committed to finding a solution. If you have additional questions or wish to request a refund, please email the vendor directly at info@otto-usa.com.”
DSNY has mandated the use of official NYC Bins because they are custom-designed to work with new Sanitation trucks, which the agency states will help facilitate faster, safer and cleaner mechanized collection.
