Illegal Donation Bin Returns To 14th Street

These clothing donation bins remind us of rats. Once you’ve got them, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them.

The above Pepto-colored bin appeared over the weekend on 14th Street and 4th Avenue, in the exact same spot as one that caught fire in July of 2013.

The New York City Department of Sanitation notes on their website that “under Local Law No. 31 of 2007, the placement of publicly accessible collection bins on New York City property or property maintained by New York City, or on any public sidewalk or roadway is illegal,” and concerned residents are invited to submit a form requesting their removal.

The boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx have seen quite a boom in these illegal Viltex USA bins over the past year, according to a January report from the Daily News.

Queens Councilmember Daniel Dromm, who referred to the bins as a “scam” in his interview with the Daily News, is researching legislation that would “require all bins on private property to list a name and phone number as well as detail where the donations are being sent,” giving folks a way to see where their clothing is actually going.

We realize that it is spring cleaning season, and if you’re on the hunt for a place to donate your unwanted items, don’t forget about the PS 124 Rummage Sale. The school is accepting donations throughout the month of March, with the next collection scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, from 8:30am to 11:30am, and then again on Saturday, March 22, from 10am to 12pm.

Donations can be dropped off at the school’s main entrance on 4th Avenue (between 13th and 14th Streets), and PS 124 tells us that most everything, from household items, clothing, toys (stuffed animals included), and electronics will be accepted.