That's a great and surprisingly practical question! The weight of an empty standard urban trash bin varies a lot depending on its size, material, and purpose. There's no single "standard" weight, but here's a breakdown of what you can typically expect.
For common household curbside bins (the ones on wheels), a standard 96-gallon plastic bin usually weighs between 40 to 60 pounds (18 to 27 kg) when empty. The smaller 64-gallon version is lighter, often around 30 to 45 pounds (14 to 20 kg). These are made from thick, durable polyethylene plastic.
Moving to commercial settings, a common 2-cubic-yard steel dumpster (often seen behind restaurants) can weigh a hefty 300 to 500 pounds (136 to 227 kg) empty due to its thick steel construction. Larger 6-yard dumpsters can weigh 700 to 1,000 pounds (318 to 454 kg) empty.
For public space litter bins, the small, stationary metal or concrete ones you see on sidewalks are much lighter, typically ranging from 15 to 50 pounds (7 to 23 kg).
So, in short, an empty urban trash bin's weight can range from about 15 pounds for a small public bin to over half a ton for the largest commercial containers. The material—plastic, galvanized steel, or concrete—is the biggest factor determining its empty weight.