New York City homeowners could soon receive a check to cover the cost of one of the city’s official trash bins, Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday.
New Yorkers who own one- or two-family homes and get the Basic or Enhanced School Tax Relief (STAR or E-STAR) credit or exemption qualify for a rebate check for $59.30 to cover the cost of an NYC Bin, Adams said in a news release.
Eligible homeowners who already purchased a bin online or by phone will get a refund check in the mail automatically, while homeowners who haven’t purchased one yet will get a letter explaining how to buy one online or by phone and receive a check within 30 days of purchase.
Homeowners who have bought or plan to buy one at Home Depot, meanwhile, will get a voucher code to request reimbursement online, the release said.
Checks will start arriving in the mail in the coming weeks, the release noted.
“STAR and E-STAR credits and exemptions are generally for property owners whose total household income is less than $500,000,” the release said. “The [Department of Finance] will mail checks to homeowners who have applied for this credit in 2024 or 2025.”
As of November 2024, all properties with one to nine residential units must use secure-lidded bins of 55 gallons or less. Existing compliant bins can be used only until June 2026, when the official NYC Bin becomes mandatory.
“There’s no reason to wait — cleaning up our city starts at home,” Adams said in a statement. “To encourage everyone to do their part and to help put more money back into the pockets of working-class New Yorkers, we’ll be covering the cost of the NYC Bin for most one- and two-family homeowners.”
“While NYC Bins were already the most affordable containers of their quality on the market, this rebate makes it even easier for homeowners to purchase their NYC Bins,” Department of Sanitation Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan said in his own statement.
The rat-resistant bins also work with DSNY’s mechanical trucks, making trash collection safer and cleaner, according to the release.
The bins are available for purchase at bins.nyc or at any Home Depot in the city.
