That's a great question, and it really depends on the city and even the specific neighborhood. In my experience, yes, most public trash cans in urban areas now come with some form of signage. You'll typically find basic labels like "Trash" or "Litter," and increasingly, separate bins marked for "Recycling.
The recycling signs often use universal symbols—the chasing arrows triangle—and sometimes specify items like bottles, cans, and paper. For littering, you might see polite reminders like "Please Use Me" or "Keep Our City Clean," and occasionally stricter messages about fines. The clarity and detail vary a lot, though. Some bins have excellent, graphic-heavy signs that are easy to understand at a glance, while others might just have faded text. Newer "smart" bins or those in parks and tourist zones tend to have the best signage. Overall, the trend is definitely toward more informative signs to guide proper disposal and reduce contamination in recycling streams. It's a simple but crucial part of urban waste management.