Short answer: yes, the main body of an urban trash can can absolutely be made from 100% recycled aluminum—but saying the whole trash can is 100% recycled aluminum is where it gets tricky. Aluminum is one of the most recyclable materials around, and recycled aluminum can match the strength and finish of primary aluminum when it is properly sorted and alloyed. For a street bin, that means the shell, frame, or slats could be made from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled aluminum and still hold up to daily public use.
That said, a practical urban trash can is not just a single lump of aluminum. It usually has hinges, fasteners, a liner, a lid, maybe a concrete base, and a powder-coated finish. Those parts are often steel, plastic, rubber, or zinc-coated hardware. So the honest claim is usually “100% recycled aluminum body” or “100% recycled aluminum content in the aluminum components,” not “100% recycled aluminum trash can” from top to bottom.
Design matters more than the label. Recycled aluminum can be cast, extruded, or formed into panels, but it needs the right alloy and thickness to resist denting, bending, and vandalism. Outdoor bins also need drainage, fire resistance, and a coating that survives UV, rain, and cleaning chemicals. Powder coating adds durability, though it is an extra material, so it slightly complicates a pure “100% recycled” claim.
Is it worth it? If your goal is lower embodied carbon and a circular material story, recycled aluminum is a strong choice. It can be recycled again and again without losing quality, and using recycled stock usually saves a lot of energy compared with making new aluminum. The catch is cost and supply: clean, high-quality recycled aluminum is not always cheaper, and not every fabricator stocks it.
So I would say yes—urban trash cans can be made with a 100% recycled aluminum body, and that is a genuinely useful sustainability step. Just be precise in the marketing: call out the recycled content of the aluminum parts, and do not imply that the whole bin—hardware, liner, coating, and all—is 100% recycled aluminum.