Major change coming to Brooklyn trash collection

A major change is coming to the way trash is collected in parts of Brooklyn.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced early Thursday the installation of the borough’s first residential Empire bins in Brooklyn Community District 2 has started.

More than 700 of the large containers will replace piles of trash bags in neighborhoods, including Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo and Fort Greene.

City officials said the bins will help cut down on rats, keep sidewalks cleaner and make trash collection more efficient.

The city plans to expand the program to six more community districts next year, with a goal of bringing containerized trash collection citywide by 2031.