Overview

• West Harlem’s Community Board 9 now uses about 1,100 ‘Empire Bins’ to service 29,000 households, achieving full containerization.
• Rat sightings reported to 3-1-1 have dropped for six consecutive months compared with the same period last year following the rollout of residential container requirements.
• The rodent-resistant bins open only with special keycards assigned to building staff and were mandated for smaller buildings, optional for mid-size properties, and automatically deployed at larger complexes.
• New side-loading trucks cut workplace injuries, and the Department of Sanitation has ramped up double-parking tickets to keep bin access clear.
• Launched as a pilot in Hamilton Heights in August 2023, the containerization system will now roll out to all 59 New York City community boards.