Community Board 9 debates city plan to replace curbside bags with communal 'Empire' bins

A presenter at the Community Board 9 sanitation committee described the city’s plan to move from curbside bags toward communal curbside containers, saying the mayor “announced recently ... rolling out is to use the empire bins or some variation on that ... citywide over the next five years.” The presentation recapped the department’s draft environmental review and the board’s earlier request for more time to comment.

Committee members and residents challenged how the bins would fit into crowded curbs used for outdoor dining, deliveries and bike lanes. The presenter said pilots are underway in other districts and the city has targeted six additional districts for the coming year; board members estimated the densest areas could require “several hundred” units and urged the city to avoid imposing the change without local outreach and operational proof of concept.

Board correspondence that accompanied the packet asked the department to lengthen the comment period; the presenter said the draft environmental-impact statement was issued on July 1 with roughly a 40–45 day comment window. Members also noted the vendor originally chosen to supply certified household containers went bankrupt last year, complicating enforcement and procurement.

The committee did not take action but agreed to monitor pilots (including alternatives the presenter said the city will test) and to develop community-engagement materials so residents understand tradeoffs and timing.