You may have seen news coverage of DSNY’s “Empire Bins” — the sealed, stationary, key-card-access trash containers replacing loose bags on the curb outside larger buildings. Here’s what they are and when they might reach Clifton Pl.
What They Are
Empire Bins are DSNY’s stationary, sealed on-street containers for larger apartment buildings and schools — small buildings keep individual wheeled bins. They’re dark charcoal gray, oval-bodied, about 73.9 inches wide, and sit on fixed elastic sliders rather than wheels. Access is by key card, restricted to building staff and DSNY, and they’re emptied by new side-loading collection trucks.
Where the Rollout Stands
The program started in West Harlem (Manhattan CD9), then expanded to Brooklyn Community District 2 (Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill) in fall 2025. In April 2026 the city announced six more districts scheduled by the end of 2027, including Brooklyn CD8 (Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Weeksville). Our district, Brooklyn CD3 / Bedford-Stuyvesant, has not yet been announced for containerization, but the citywide expansion is ongoing. We’ll post here as soon as CB3 gets a scheduled date.
