Mayor Mamdani's citywide trash bin plan sparks Upper East Side backlash

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is advancing a citywide scheme to remove almost 30,000 parking spaces and install massive metal trash containers, known as “Empire Bins,” on streets throughout Manhattan. Valerie Mason, chair of Manhattan Community Board 8, wrote to sanitation officials that the towering, non-transparent bins could create a permanent visual blight, impede ambient street lighting, and raise safety worries after dark.

The Upper East Side would bear the brunt of the changes, losing a large portion of the projected 29,842 parking spots slated for removal, while the Upper West Side would also see a substantial loss. The concept originated from a 10-block pilot in West Harlem in 2023, which produced mixed outcomes, according to Community Board 9 chair Victor Edwards. Despite resident opposition, Upper West Side Councilwoman Gale Brewer expressed support, highlighting the high cost of parking. Sanitation Department spokesperson Vincent Gragnani argued the bins would block less light than parked cars and represent an improvement over the previous practice of leaving trash bags on curbs.