That's an excellent and very observant question! Yes, absolutely. Many cities worldwide have specifically deployed public trash cans with smaller openings as a direct design strategy to combat the illegal dumping of large, household-sized bags of garbage.
The logic is straightforward but effective. A standard, large-opening bin can easily accommodate a full black bag from someone's home. By reducing the aperture to roughly the size of a single drink bottle or a takeaway food container, it physically prevents people from disposing of items they should be handling through official residential waste collection services. This design targets a common problem where individuals or businesses avoid paying for proper waste removal by offloading their bulk trash into public bins, which overflow and create unsightly, unhygienic messes.
You'll often see these bins in high-foot-traffic areas like parks, downtown streets, and near transit stops. They encourage proper use for "on-the-go" items like wrappers, cups, and small packaging. While not a complete solution—and sometimes criticized for making legitimate disposal of slightly larger items difficult—they are a key tool in a broader urban waste management strategy that includes public education, enforcement, and providing accessible legal disposal options. So next time you see a bin with a surprisingly small hole, you'll know it's working as intended to keep public spaces cleaner for everyone.