Tens of Millions of Visitors. One Beautifully Contained Solution.
Central Park welcomes 42 million visitors every year, making it one of the most visited urban parks in the world. Behind that number is an enormous amount of waste generated daily across over 800 acres. For years, trash bags piled up in staging areas throughout the park, including behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Visitors and park staff had become used to it, but the Central Park Conservancy wanted a long-term solution that would become a part of the park’s infrastructure.They ran a trash containerization RFP, CITIBIN got the job, and came up with a solution that beautifies the Park in a way that one wouldn’t expect a trash bin to do.
This 6-module bin holds 40 bags of trash, 10 bags of recycling, and broken down cardboard boxes
Built for Workers. Beautiful for Everyone.
CITIBIN worked closely with the Central Park Conservancy to design enclosures that fit the park’s specific needs and aesthetic. The new enclosures separate waste streams into dedicated bins for trash, recycling, and cardboard, making collection more efficient for the sanitation crews who work the park every day.
With over 600 litter baskets in the park, there is a huge staff behind the scenes that manage the logistics of moving trash from the “spokes” to the “hub.” Workers no longer hurl bags into a fenced corral until the packer truck collects. They place them in a beautifully designed, durable, and low-maintenance CITIBIN enclosure.
The design of the bins was informed by volume (measured in number of full bags), usability considerations, and input from the park staff managing sanitation. One key design decision was about opening mechanisms – they wanted an uncomplicated lock, so they went with our marine-grade keypad mechanical locks. No digital, no keys, no apps, no cloud storage fees.
Trash Transformation in Central Park
The trash transformation is dramatic. Before and after, the difference is not just visual, it is operational. CITIBIN has spent 14 years designing trash enclosures shaped by the real people who use them every day: from porters and property managers, to sanitation workers in parks and public spaces. Their experiences have always driven the design. We are proud to be part of Central Park’s story, and grateful to the Central Park Conservancy for the partnership.
