Cleaner Streets Ahead: Empire Bins Coming Across District 2

By Y.M. Lowy

Mayor Eric Adams and Acting Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan announced that Brooklyn Community District 2 will be the second neighborhood in the city to use Empire Bins. These Empire Bins, placed by DSNY, are stationary, on-street containers designed to help keep streets cleaner and rat-free.

This fall, Empire Bins will be placed at schools in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Next year, the program will expand to all schools and large apartment buildings in the area. In 2026, Dumbo, Vinegar Hill, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard will also get Empire Bins.

Under the program, Empire Bins will be assigned to schools and all buildings with more than 30 units. Property managers will access the bins with a key card. Buildings with 10 to 30 units can choose between receiving an Empire Bin or using smaller wheelie bins, which are already required for buildings with one to nine units citywide.

Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office