Short answer: yes, you can powder-coat urban trash bins in almost any custom color, and with the right specification they can be very chip-resistant. But I’d be careful with the phrase “without chipping.” No finish is completely chip-proof in a public-space environment. Bins get hit by skateboards, kicked, scraped by collection trucks, cleaned with harsh chemicals, and exposed to sun, rain, salt, and graffiti removal. Powder coating is usually tougher than wet paint because it forms a continuous film with good impact and abrasion resistance—but impact can still damage it.
The key is preparation and specification. For steel bins, grit blasting and a zinc-rich primer or proper pretreatment are important; for aluminum, use the correct conversion coating or primer system. Sharp edges should be rounded because coating pulls thin there. Ask for a durable exterior-grade powder—super-durable polyester or a suitable polyester/TGIC system—and consider a primer plus topcoat for heavy-use areas. Edge coverage matters as much as color. A reputable applicator will control film thickness, cure schedule, and masking so threads, hinges, and drainage areas stay functional. If you want a formal benchmark, reference AAMA 2604/2605 or Qualicoat-type performance, plus adhesion, impact, and salt-spray testing.
Custom color is not the hard part; durability is. Choose a qualified coater, specify the environment, and plan for touch-up rather than expecting zero maintenance. With that approach, powder-coated urban trash bins can look good in custom colors and resist chipping far better than ordinary paint—but “chip-resistant” is the honest promise, not “chip-proof.”