These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
New York City’s trash bins have a new look. The iconic cans that have been largely unchanged since the 1930s—simple, green wire-mesh baskets—will be replaced with a sleek modular unit that is cheaper and also lighter, reducing the chance of injuries to sanitation workers. The Better Bin also has a hinged flip lid to prevent dumping microwaves and TVs, and a perforated shell to impede rats. Colin P. Kelly, design director of Group Project, the firm behind the updated bin, says it “garners more respect, rather than just being this beat-up object.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness