For most urban parks, I’d aim for trash cans in the 30–50 gallon range. That size tends to hit the sweet spot: it holds enough waste to get through a busy day without becoming so heavy that staff hate emptying it. In practice, a 35–45 gallon can is often ideal for mixed-use neighborhood parks, playground edges, and picnic areas where use is steady but not constant.
If the park has a busy entrance, a food concession area, or a downtown location with heavy foot traffic, go larger—usually 50–65 gallons. In those spots, I’d also plan for more frequent collection and pair the trash can with a recycling bin, because a single oversized bin can become a smell and pest problem if it isn’t serviced daily. Larger 95-gallon containers can work, but only if your crew has proper lifting equipment and a reliable pickup schedule. Otherwise, they get too heavy and the area starts to look neglected.
On quiet trails, small pocket parks, or low-use sections, 20–35 gallons is usually better. Smaller cans fill up and get serviced more predictably, and they’re easier to place near paths without dominating the landscape. The real question isn’t just capacity—it’s capacity matched to collection frequency, bag size, and how people move through the park. A 50-gallon can emptied daily will almost always outperform a 95-gallon can emptied once a week.
I’d also think about lid design, liner compatibility, animal resistance, and placement. Put larger cans where people naturally pause: entrances, parking lots, playgrounds, and food areas. Use smaller cans along trails and near benches. For most parks, 30–50 gallons is the practical answer; size up to 50–65 gallons only where traffic and servicing truly justify it.