Trash and recycling bags and containers/bins must never block the sidewalk for pedestrians or be placed in the street. Bins can be stored within three feet of the building line. It is illegal to chain bins to public property.

What You Can Report

You can report residents and businesses that repeatedly put trash and recycling materials in the street or that block the sidewalk with:

• Trash bags and bins
• Dumpsters
• Discarded merchandise
• Containers chained to public property

What You Can’t Report

You can’t report:

• Bags or containers on a property’s collection day unless the sidewalk is completely blocked
• A one-time occurrence. The problem must be chronic, and you must include the days and times in your report.

A store or a commercial business must either hire a private carter to collect their trash and recyclables or register as a self-hauler with the Business Integrity Commission (BIC). You can report a business that doesn't have a private carter collecting their waste.

You can’t dispose of construction or renovation debris with your trash unless you live in a 1- to 2-family home, did the renovation or repair work yourself, and didn’t hire anyone to help.

Debris generated by hired contractors or fee-for-service workers is commercial waste and must be serviced by hiring a private carter or using a dumpster.

Construction debris includes:

• Large furnishings, such as tubs, sinks, and heaters
• Cement, concrete, sheetrock, and bricks
• Rocks and glass
• Tiles

As of March 1, 2024, all businesses in NYC must use bins with secure lids when setting out trash for collection.

This rule applies to every business in New York City, regardless of what is sold. Any perishable material (trash or organic) must be in a bin with a secure lid.

This requirement does not apply to businesses that have waste collected from a loading dock.

Learn more about business containerization rules on the Waste Disposal for Businesses page.

Light refuse or rubbish that is likely to be blown or scattered must be securely bundled, tied, or packed before being placed for collection.

What You Can Report

You can report:

• Bags that are open or not tightly closed
• Bin lids that aren’t fastened securely
• Materials or debris that aren’t securely tied or bundled together

You must seal any mattress or box spring in a plastic bag before you put it out with your trash. This helps prevent the spread of bed bugs. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) doesn’t collect uncovered or partially covered mattresses or box springs.

Before putting them out for collection, you must separate recyclables from your trash and sort them following Recycling Rules.

Residential Building

You can report homeowners or residential building managers, supers, or tenants that mix trash with recycling.

Covered Business, Catering Event, or Street Event

Certain New York City businesses are required to separate their organic waste.

Businesses must follow these rules if it is a:

• Food service establishment in a hotel with 100 or more rooms
• Food service vendor in an arena or stadium with a seating capacity of at least 15,000 people
• Food manufacturer with a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet
• Food wholesaler with a floor area of at least 20,000 square feet
• Sponsor of a temporary public event with anticipated attendance of 500 or more people
• Catering establishment hosting on-site events with anticipated attendance of 100 or more people
• Food preparation location with a floor area of at least 6,000 square feet
• Retail food store with a floor area at least 10,000 square feet
• Chain retail food store of 3 or more NYC locations with combined floor area at least 10,000 square feet
• Food service establishment with a floor area of 7,000 square feet or more
• Chain food service establishment with 2 or more NYC locations with combined floor area at least 8,000 square feet or more
• Food service establishment with combined floor area at least 8,000 square feet or more in the same building or location

Businesses covered by these rules must separate staff-handled, back of house food scraps, plant trimmings, food-soiled paper and certified compostable products from trash and other recyclables.

You can report a covered business or a catering or street event that is not separating the staff-handled back of the house organics waste.

Property owners must remove all doors and locking devices from refrigerators and freezers before putting them on the sidewalk or in a public alley for collection.

You can report a refrigerator or freezer that was put curbside for pickup without removing the doors. You can also report a refrigerator or freezer with the door attached that was illegally dumped on the sidewalk in front of your property.

It’s illegal to use another person's or establishment's trash containers without their permission or put waste on or in front of a property other than where it was generated.

What You Can Report

You can report a resident or business who repeatedly puts their trash and recycling bags and bins on or in front of your property instead of their own.

If there is a large amount of trash or debris dumped in front of your property and you don’t know where the materials came from, please report this issue as Illegal Dumping to request removal.

What You Need

Your report must provide:

• The address where the materials are coming from
• The address where the materials were placed
• The days and times this problem happens

Trash and recycling bags, bulk items, and containers, including dumpsters, may only be set out on the sidewalk at specific times. 

Residential buildings of any size (single-family and multi-unit) have two options: 

• Place waste out after 6 PM in a bin of 55 gallons or less with a secure lid, or 
• Place waste out after 8 PM, if putting bags directly on the curb. 

To ensure collection, all waste must be set out by midnight. 

As of March 1, 2024, all businesses in NYC must use a bin with a secure lid for trash. This rule does not apply to recycling. Bins may be placed at the curb 1 hour before closing or after 8 PM. Businesses may also use bins for recycling, but it is not required. Recycling in bags or bundles can be set out after 8 PM.

You can report residential or commercial properties that set out their waste at the wrong time.

Report a: