Yes—there are, and they’re becoming pretty common in smart-city pilots. Most “smart” urban trash cans don’t literally shout or flash a big light when they’re full; instead, they use fill-level sensors, often ultrasonic, to measure how much waste is inside. When the bin reaches a set threshold, it sends a signal over a cellular or LoRaWAN connection to a cloud dashboard. Waste teams then get an alert, a map pin, or an updated collection route.
Some well-known examples are Bigbelly solar-powered compacting bins, which compact waste and report fill status, and various sensor kits that can be retrofitted into ordinary street bins. The main benefit is fewer unnecessary pickups: crews empty bins that actually need it, which can reduce overflow, fuel use, and truck emissions.
The catch is cost and upkeep—batteries, sensors, connectivity, and vandalism all need attention. So yes, the technology exists and works, but it’s usually part of a city’s waste-management system rather than a single bin acting alone.