Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) is delighted that the New York City Council has passed legislation (Intro 1126) that would mandate free distribution of the new trash bins, dubbed the NYC bin, to owners of one and two-family homes, as long as they are enrolled in the STAR or Enhanced STAR property tax relief program. In addition, the legislation – which passed the Council on February 27 and is now awaiting the mayor’s signature – would require the city to issue refunds to eligible property owners who have already purchased the new bins.

“I am gratified that the City Council has acted on this important issue, which has put additional financial strain on many residents,” said Assemblyman Colton, who had been advocating strenuously for the new trash cans, whose use will be required as of June, 2026, to be distributed at no charge. “In these tough economic times, the city should not be expecting homeowners to shell out an addition $50 for a trash can mandated by the city when they may already have perfectly serviceable trash cans. I certainly hope that the mayor signs the legislation in short order.”

Last fall, Assemblyman Colton started a petition demanding that the city provide those cans, which have been designed to be compliant with new equipment being added to the city’s garbage trucks to streamline the process of picking up trash and minimize spillage, for free. At that time, he pointed out that, when the city started its composting program, it gave out compost bins to New York City homeowners without charge. Among the co-sponsors of the legislation is Councilmember Susan Zhuang

In an October 11 letter to then-Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Assemblyman Colton wrote, “It is true that rodents are a nuisance and a health hazard…. However, it is far from reasonable to demand that residents purchase a trash bin simply because it has the endorsement of you and the mayor along with your department’s seal on it. It is a great burden on senior citizens and low-income homeowners to purchase a bin if they already have one that is perfectly satisfactory.”