| Although trash bins of various shapes, sizes, and | | | | and portability where a large steel dumpster would |
| materials have been around for centuries the | | | | be impractical. In commercial uses prone to vandalism |
| wheeled trash bin, also known as a wheelie bin, is a | | | | or other serious damage risk, galvanized steel is |
| relatively new invention. In fact, the ones we | | | | often used in place of polyethylene. Like their |
| commonly see at the curbside didn't make their way | | | | two-wheeled counterparts, 4-wheeled bins are |
| to the market until the 1970s. Prior to that residential | | | | emptied by lifting and rotating forward until the |
| trash bins were carried to the curb or hauled on | | | | contents fall into the truck. Metal side-mounted |
| carts. The standard two-wheeled bin for residential | | | | brackets accomplish this task nicely. The term "green |
| use usually has a capacity of 240 litres and measures | | | | bin" is used in some places to denote one used only |
| 107 cm high, 58 cm wide, and 74 cm deep. Less | | | | used for biodegradable materials like compost. This |
| popular models can have capacities of 120, 140, and | | | | type of bin is widely used in Canada. A bright blue bin |
| 360 litres. Polyethylene is the preferred construction | | | | with the well-known triangular recycling symbol is |
| materiel though larger steel bins are sometimes used | | | | commonly used in the U.S. for recyclable plastic, glass, |
| for industrial applications. The development of the | | | | paper, and cardboard. Colours for normal residential |
| wheeled bin was intended to make waste disposal | | | | waste bins can be black, dark green, grey, red, |
| easier on both the consumer and the trash hauler. | | | | brown, and purple. One of the only real concerns with |
| Several innovative designs were introduced to | | | | the use of wheeled bins is direct sunlight or fire. |
| accomplish that goal, including the metal bar installed | | | | Polyethylene plastic does not perform well in high |
| on the front of the bin. The bar is used to lift the bin | | | | temperatures, causing risk of malformation when |
| using a hydraulic arm, emptying its contents into the | | | | exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. Should a |
| truck. Hinged lids open backwards to accommodate | | | | fire break out inside one of these bins, the fumes |
| the lifting direction. A handle installed high on the rear | | | | from the melting plastic could be potential harmful to |
| allows the bin to be tipped back over the axle and | | | | any people in the area. |
| moved easily, even when full. | | | | Wheeled trash bins have made all of our lives a little |
| For larger capacities, 4-wheeled bins range in capacity | | | | bit easier. With no more dragging the old bins to the |
| from 500 to 1280 litres. These light-weight | | | | curb and heavy lifting by trash collectors, disposing of |
| polyethylene bins give consumers greater capacity | | | | our waste may even be somewhat pleasant. Or not. |