During a recent community meeting, city officials discussed the new trash can regulations set to take effect on November 12, which aim to tackle the pervasive problem of scattered garbage and rodent infestations on New York City streets. Mayor Eric Adams announced this initiative in July as part of his “Trash Revolution” strategy, mandating that homeowners of small residential buildings—those with nine or fewer units—must use designated official trash cans.

According to officials, once the regulations are enforced, approximately 70% of the city’s waste is expected to be contained within these trash cans rather than left littering the streets. However, many residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the new policy. Ms. Zhang, for example, shared her intentions to delay replacing her current covered trash can until the deadline approaches. “I’ll put it off as long as I can,” she remarked. “Who knows what new regulations might come next year?”

Another resident, Ms. Wang, recounted a troubling experience where her newly purchased trash can was stolen within two weeks of buying it. This prompted her to label her can and secure it with a chain lock. “I saw someone stealing it in the surveillance footage at 4 AM. Locking it up feels like the safest option,” she explained.

Mr. Li, who ordered his trash can in mid-August, echoed similar concerns shared by Ms. Wang. “I’m worried about my trash can getting stolen too. I put it out at night, but the garbage truck comes at unpredictable times, and the collectors often toss bins around. It would be so painful to lose a can worth $60 multiple times a year.”

Addressing these worries, Antonio Whitaker, the community affairs assistant director for the Department of Sanitation, assured residents during the meeting that sanitation workers would be responsible for returning the bins to their proper places. “We will implement best practices for bin placement based on actual conditions,” he stated.

Whitaker also advised residents to label their trash cans with their addresses or secure them to fences when not in use to deter theft. He emphasized that in the event of theft, it is imperative to contact the police immediately.

As per city regulations, all small residential buildings currently using their own trash cans will need to switch to the official cans by June 2026, ensuring compliance with the initiative.