Yes — they do exist, though they're not as common as regular street bins. You'll usually see them in busy downtowns, parks, campuses, transit hubs, or tourist areas where trash fills up fast and collection trucks can't be there all day. The best-known examples are solar-powered compacting bins like BigBelly. They use a small solar panel to power a sensor and motor inside the bin. When the trash reaches a certain level, the bin compacts it automatically, so it can hold much more waste before it needs emptying. In practice, that means fewer collection trips, less fuel use, and fewer overflowing bins during peak times.
That said, it's not magic. These bins cost more upfront than ordinary bins, and they need batteries, sensors, and motors that have to be maintained. If people put the wrong stuff in them — especially liquids or bulky items — they can jam or get smelly. Some models also send fill-level alerts over a network, which is handy for city crews, but it adds another system to manage.
So, are there urban trash bins that compress trash automatically? Yes. They're a real product, and they can be a smart fit for high-traffic spots. But they're not a replacement for every street bin; they make the most sense where waste volume is high and collection is expensive or inconvenient. If you're thinking about them for a city or campus, I'd check maintenance costs, battery life, compaction capacity, and how often they actually need servicing before buying a fleet.