Queens County, NY Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

DSNY rules effective November 12, 2024 require one to nine unit residential buildings in Queens to use an Official NYC Bin for household trash. Bins are identifiable by the DSNY Official NYC Bin logo and are sold exclusively through the program vendor. Set-out windows apply equally to bins: place at curb after 6 p.m. the night before or after 4 a.m. the day of collection. Bins must be removed from the curb by 9 a.m. on the day following collection. Bins stored on the property must not obstruct the sidewalk, and bins kept adjacent to the building must not intrude into the required ADA Title II accessible pathway (generally 36 inches wide minimum). Bins in front yards, side yards, or driveways are preferred; bins in the public right of way outside of set-out windows are prohibited. Recycling containers follow the same set-out rules but are color-coded: blue for metal/glass/plastic/cartons, green-lid blue for paper, brown for organics. Commercial properties, including the many small businesses on Queens Boulevard, Austin Street, and Broadway in Astoria, fall under DSNY's commercial waste zones (CWZ) rollout, which was phased through 2024 to 2025 and replaced the prior private-carter patchwork with zone-based exclusive franchisees. Bulky items (furniture, mattresses) do not go in bins; schedule bulk pickup through 311 or the DSNY website.