Yes, urban trash cans with separate compartments for bottles and cans are available, and plenty of cities use them—but you won’t find them on every corner. In practice, it depends on the city’s waste program, budget, sidewalk space, and collection contracts. Some public bins are dual-stream: one opening and liner for bottles and cans, another for general litter. Others use three streams—recyclables, glass, and landfill waste—or separate bottle-shaped openings to encourage the right items. You’ll also see solar-powered compacting bins with a dedicated recycling chamber and standard street bins fitted with divided inner liners.
That said, “available” is different from “universal.” Many older or high-traffic areas still use single-stream litter bins because they are cheaper and simpler to service. Contamination is a big reason. If people drop food wrappers or half-full cups into the bottle-and-can side, the collected material may be rejected. Cities also worry about scavenging, overflow, odors, and collection frequency. A well-designed bin helps: clear icons, bilingual labels, rain hoods, lockable liners, fire-resistant materials, and openings sized for bottles and cans but not bags.
If you’re asking for a specific city, check the local sanitation department’s street furniture standards or recycling program. If you’re choosing bins for an urban project, look for models described as dual-stream or multi-stream public recycling bins, and confirm that your waste hauler can actually collect the separated streams. So the short answer is yes—separate bottle-and-can compartments exist and are common in many downtowns, parks, campuses, and transit stops, but they are not standard everywhere.