That's an excellent question, and yes, absolutely! Many municipalities and property managers specifically use waste receptacles with smaller openings as a strategic tool for waste management. You'll commonly see these in high-traffic public areas like parks, transit stations, and city sidewalks.
The primary goal is exactly as you mentioned: to discourage people from disposing of oversized, improper items like household bags of garbage, pizza boxes, or even small electronics. The limited aperture makes it inconvenient and often physically impossible to dump such items, guiding users to dispose of only typical on-the-go litter like coffee cups, wrappers, and bottles.
This design offers several key benefits. It helps keep public bins from being overwhelmed by a single person's large waste, ensuring capacity for more users. It reduces contamination and overflow, leading to cleaner public spaces. Furthermore, it can lower maintenance costs by preventing blockages and making collection easier for sanitation workers.
It's part of a broader approach that often includes clear signage (e.g., "For Small Litter Only") and should be paired with accessible options for larger, legitimate waste nearby. While not a complete solution, bins with smaller openings are a practical and effective first line of defense in maintaining orderly and hygienic public environments.