New York City is officially catching up with the rest of the civilized world — introducing official city trash cans ahead of plans to require residential buildings with one to nine units leave trash out in bins starting Nov. 12.
Mayor Adams touted the news bins as a "trash revolution" at a press conference Monday morning, officially christening the new bin by rolling it out, picking up a bag of trash next to the podium and sticking it in the container. Watch the momentous occasion here:
“Welcome to our trash revolution.” Mayor Adams introduces the new bin that buildings with 1-9 units will be required to use instead of loose bags of garbage pic.twitter.com/nMiAZiXMVz
— Liam Quigley (@_elkue) July 8, 2024
"When you look at the billions of pounds of trash we remove off our streets annually, many people thought it was impossible that these babies here, the bins, were going to be part of our trash revolution," Hizzoner said, praising Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch for her wide-ranging efforts to move New York beyond the disgusting practice of leaving trash bags on the sidewalk on collection days.
"We're only catching up to what other municipalities across the globe, what they are currently doing. We needed a visionary, and we got one with Commissioner Tisch," the mayor added.
Streetsblog has eagerly followed and anticipated the city's long overdue "trash revolution," which has already started bringing containerization to some larger residential buildings and commercial businesses. But outlets and commentators in and out of the city were quick to mock the mayor, who triumphantly rolled the trash bin out to his "Empire State of Mind" theme music.
NYC leaps forward to 1883. https://t.co/gV1EfKWsnY https://t.co/x7rW6Zy8Zw
— Nicholas A. Christakis (@NAChristakis) July 8, 2024
— Kai Ryssdal (@kairyssdal) July 8, 2024
Even Britain's Independent ran through the highlights of social media mockery of Hizzoner's trash announcement, mostly from across the pond. "Wheelie bins have finally made it across the Atlantic. A proud moment for our deprived American friends," one obnoxious limey remarked.
In other news:
- Pay no attention to the state that just nixed congestion pricing: New York won't meet its ambitious 2030 climate goals. (The City)
- Speaking of which... it's really hot out. (Gothamist)
- The Times' "Street Wars" column tackles big changes coming to outdoor dining.
- Gateway Tunnel is finally happening thanks to $6.8 billion from the feds. (Crain's, Daily News)
- Federal officials hope for a way forward for Second Avenue Subway Phase 2. (Daily News)
- Hochul's congestion pricing cancellation is bad for the Earth. (Yale Climate Connections)
- Advocates hope to put Flatbush Avenue bus lanes back on the agenda. (Gothamist)
- Don't count on DOT to fix the 15-year-old Kent Avenue protected bike lane any time soon. (Gothamist)
- The Post spoke to Citi Bike users upset over Lyft's latest price hike.
- Three-quarters of the MTA's subway storefronts are vacant. (NY Times)
- Boston's City Council held a hearing about congestion pricing. (Boston Globe)
- A full rundown of who may want to challenge Mayor Adams for mayor (and comptroller). (NY Times)
