NYC’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) requires all residential buildings with 1-9 units to purchase standard 2-wheeled bins to set out trash for collection, while buildings with 10-30 units will have the option to use these bins or street containers.  Nearly 20% of 1-9 unit buildings citywide have storefronts on the ground floor, so the bins...

Food waste is the part of garbage that makes it disgusting. When sealed in plastic bags with other trash, food waste putrefies, releasing foul odors and garbage juice, attracting rodents and roaches. When it winds up in landfills, food waste creates leachate and methane that pollute the land, waterways and air. But when food waste...

Vital City commissioned an article by Clare Miflin and Benjamin Miller on how to best integrate waste containerization into New York City’s streetscapes so it can bring many more benefits than just hiding the trash...

DSNY will require all residential buildings with 1-9 units to purchase standard 2-wheeled bins to set out trash for collection, while buildings with 10- 30 units will have the option to purchase these bins. Our solution stages containers in the street to frees up the sidewalk for pedestrians and street life. Read more here...

While DSNY propose that large buildings with waste chutes should move their bags up to the street and lift into permanent containers in the parking lane, our solution allows them to push compacted waste directly to the curb, requiring less space, temporarily. This would also increase waste diversion rates and improve labor for building staff...

We are in support of NYC’s plans to containerize waste but recommend adjustments for large buildings and walk-ups to better integrate waste containerization into streetscapes and improve labor conditions for building porters. See our recommendations on how to reduce the street space taken up and eliminate permanent bins on sidewalks for small buildings and large buildings...