Better Bin

After decades of forcing New Yorkers to look at and smell trash stewing in wire mesh litter baskets, we have begun installing the new, modern Better Bins.

The old mesh basket was full of holes, which allowed trash juice out and rats in. The new litter baskets of the future are rat-resistant, leak-proof, harder to misuse with household trash, and both easier and safer for Sanitation Workers to empty.

The modular design, the innovative hinged lid, and the spacing at the base that keeps the trash away from the ground mean these baskets are easier for humans to use, harder for rats to abuse, and a far better fit for New York City.

Group Project reimagined what a corner litter basket could be within the complexities of NYC's waste management. The innovative design was named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2023.

We maintain approximately 23,000 litter baskets across the city, and began replacing the old, wire mesh baskets with the new Better Bins in fall 2023. All baskets will be replaced citywide over the next several years.