That's a great and often overlooked question! From my daily observations and chats with public works folks, the answer is a mixed bag. Honestly, most standard municipal trash bins don't hold up spectacularly well to constant, brutal sun exposure over time.
You'll notice bins in direct, all-day sunlight fade significantly faster than those in shaded areas. Darker colors like forest green or navy blue tend to fade to a washed-out, chalky version of themselves, often showing a whitish haze. Bright reds and oranges lose their vibrancy and turn pinkish or pale. The plastic itself can become brittle.
The durability comes down to a few key factors. Higher-quality bins use UV-stabilized polyethylene or polypropylene with pigments mixed directly into the resin during manufacturing. This "through-and-through" color lasts much longer than a simple surface paint job, which chips and peels. Some cities now use powder-coated metal bins, which offer excellent UV resistance but can be prone to scratches.
Maintenance cycles matter too. A well-funded municipality might repaint or replace bins on a 5-7 year cycle, while others might only act when bins are functionally damaged. So next time you're walking, take a closer look. That faded blue bin tells a story of years weathering the elements, a small testament to material science and municipal budgeting playing out on every street corner.