Honestly, I wouldn’t say rounded-edge urban trash bins automatically last longer than square ones. Shape can help, but it’s only one part of the story. A rounded edge often reduces sharp impact points, so when a bin gets bumped by a cart, kicked, or scraped against a truck, the stress is spread out a little better. Those edges can also be easier to clean and less likely to collect dirt or catch bags, which is a small practical advantage in busy streets.
That said, a square bin can be just as durable—or even tougher—if it’s well made. The real lifespan usually comes down to material thickness, the quality of the welds or molded joints, how the lid and hinges are designed, corrosion resistance, UV stability, and whether the bin can survive rough collection crews and public use. A poorly designed rounded bin can still crack, dent, or fail at the hinges, while a solid square bin with good reinforcement may last for years.
Square bins also have advantages: they often fit into tight spaces better, offer more usable volume, and can be cheaper to manufacture and replace. Rounded bins may look friendlier and reduce certain impact and cleaning problems, but they aren’t automatically a longer-term investment.
So my answer is: rounded edges can help in specific ways, especially with impact resistance and cleaning, but they don’t guarantee a longer life. If you’re choosing bins for a city, don’t pick based on shape alone. Look at the whole design—materials, structure, drainage, replaceable parts, and maintenance access. A well-engineered square bin will usually beat a badly engineered rounded one, and the other way around.