Rogue collection bins banned

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill banning the placement of clothing collection bins on public property, the bill’s sponsor announcedMonday.

The bill requires maintenance for bins placed on private property and mandates fines for non-compliance, Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) announced.

The bins became a political issue when they began popping up on city streets overnight and were often left overflowing with clothes or garbage, often without any indication of who owned them.

“Some of these bins are eyesores because they are not maintained by their operators, and serve as trash receptacles and graffiti magnets,” Braunstein said in a statement.

The bill also requires disclosure of whether a bin is operated by a non-profit organization or a for-profit business, according to the announcement.

“Fake charities are benefiting from the generous nature of our community by misleading people into believing that their donations are going to help those in need of assistance,” Braunstein said. “This law willensure that fake charities no longer benefit from their deceptive actions.”​