For a single street, I’d treat it like a small waste-planning exercise rather than guessing from a catalog. The right capacity is usually the smallest bin that stays under about 80% full between collections without overflowing—and that your collection crew can safely handle.
First, watch the street for a week. Count how many people pass on weekdays and weekends, note nearby homes, shops, food stalls, schools, transit stops, and parks, and look at what people actually throw away. Food and drink packaging creates volume fast; dog waste, paper, and small litter behave differently. If your street has events or lunchtime peaks, plan for the peak, not the average.
Then match capacity to collection frequency. A 60–120 liter public bin can work for a low-traffic residential block with frequent service. A busy mixed-use street may need 120–240 liters, and very high-traffic areas may need 240 liters or more—but bigger is not automatically better. Large bins can smell, attract pests, be hard to lift, and block sidewalks. In hot climates, I’d lean toward smaller bins emptied more often, with lids and liners, rather than one huge bin that sits all day.
Check the practical details: sidewalk clearance, accessibility for people with strollers or wheelchairs, the collection truck’s lifting system, and local rules on bin placement. Also decide whether you need separate recycling or compost bins, because that changes both capacity and siting.
Finally, run a four-week pilot. Mark fill levels daily or use a simple sensor, and compare overflow, litter, odor, and collection time. If the bin is consistently over 80% full before collection, increase capacity or frequency. If it’s under 50%, try a smaller bin or fewer bins. That trial will tell you more than any formula. In short: estimate demand, respect collection logistics, choose the smallest workable size, and adjust with real fill data.