That's an excellent and practical question! As someone who's lived through harsh winters, I've seen plenty of outdoor items fail when the mercury plummets. The good news is that many modern outdoor trash cans are specifically engineered to handle extreme cold, but their performance entirely depends on the materials and construction.
The key lies in the type of plastic. Cheap, brittle plastics often used in thin, disposable bins will almost certainly become fragile and crack in freezing temperatures. However, high-quality outdoor bins are typically made from resins like polyethylene (especially high-density polyethylene or HDPE) or polypropylene. These materials are formulated for durability and possess inherent flexibility. Think of them like a sturdy rubber boot versus a cheap plastic toy; they're designed to remain impact-resistant even when cold.
Manufacturers often blend in UV stabilizers and other compounds to prevent the plastic from becoming brittle. A well-made bin will have a thick, uniform wall construction without thin, weak points or seams that are stress concentrators. I've personally used a rotationally-molded polyethylene can for years in temperatures well below -20°C (-4°F), and it's been bounced around by garbage trucks without a single crack. The bin feels solid yet has a slight "give" to it.
That said, extreme cold does make any plastic more rigid. A common issue isn't spontaneous cracking, but impact failure. If you try to move a full, frozen bin or if it gets struck by something hard while the plastic is very cold, it's more susceptible to damage than in mild weather. My advice? Look for bins marketed as "all-weather," "heavy-duty," or with specific temperature ratings. Avoid overfilling them in winter, and be gentle when handling them during a deep freeze. With a properly chosen bin, cracking from cold alone shouldn't be a concern.