
Empire Bins Arrive in Brooklyn: What Building Owners in Community District 2 Need to Know
New York City began installing residential Empire Bins in Brooklyn on October 29, 2026, starting on Garden Place in Brooklyn Heights. More than 700 of the locked, on-street trash containers are going in across Brooklyn Community District 2, and the city expects the district’s trash to be fully containerized by the end of fall. Key Takeaways Brooklyn buildings with 31 or more units must use Empire Bins, and buildings with 10 to 30 units had until July 31, 2026, to opt in. Each Empire Bin holds about four cubic yards of trash, roughly 25 large 32-gallon bags, according to the Department of Sanitation. Only building staff with an access card or the city’s mobile app can open a bin, so residents cannot use them directly. Violations of the containerization rule carry fines of $100, then $200, then $300 for repeat violations within 12 months. Six more community districts, including Brooklyn Community District 8 and Manhattan’s West Village,



































