By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin
By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin
The perfect garbage can CapacityAbove, the Big 60, by Step 2 Corp., holds 60 gallons of trash, or all the Culla family kids (from left, Mandy, Alisha, Billy and Hunter). It's actually too big for curbside pickup, but good for hauling, and it has the features you should look for in a smaller can. Price: $42.99.
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THEY'RE tall and round mostly, metal or plastic, come in a variety of colors; some have wheels, locking lids and built-in handles. We hide them behind walls, deep in garages, in distant corners of our yards or on fringe parking lots. Some are dragged around, kicked into place, over-filled, jammed with rotting substances -- or worse -- and frequently tossed. Trash cans may be the most used and abused things people own. But no one argues that they're not a necessity. There was a time, a decade or so ago, when shiny, galvanized aluminum refuse cans glimmered on the curb of nearly every home. The clanging and banging of these metal containers on pickup day were as common as the chirp of mynahs. No more. Eagle Hardware and Garden in Waikele, for example, sells far more plastic trash cans than the metal variety, said Dora Perez, who heads the store's lawn and garden department. In fact, 70 percent of their trash-can stock is plastic. "Plastic garbage cans are way, way more popular because they last longer, make less noise, don't rust or bend, are washable, and may have built-in handles," Perez said. But before selecting a trash receptacle, you need to know what the city will accept in terms of weight and size. The can cannot hold more than 35 gallons, not less than 10 gallons, city officials said. The interior should be smooth with no projections; the diameter of the top no smaller than the diameter at any part of the container; and it must be waterproof with a tight-fitting lid. The maximum weight of an empty container is 25 pounds; a filled container can weigh no more than 75 pounds. By the way, the city doesn't want you using any homemade trash cans. That means whole or parts of 55-gallon drums, wash tubs or grocery sacks. Now you're ready to go trash can shopping. A basic 32-gallon plastic garbage can at Eagle -- no wheels, handles that aren't molded and a locking lid like Rubbermaid's "Bruiser" -- sells for about $12. If you want the convenience of wheels -- and you should -- spend another buck for Rubbermaid's "Roughneck," Eagle's most popular model, Perez said. Have a color motif in mind? You've got four choices: almond, dark green, light blue and the latest, teal.
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Remember: The bigger the wheels the better, because that means increased load capacity and easier rolling.
The Step 2 Corp.'s giant 60-gallon model, also available at Eagle, has 5-inch wheels. It features a 24-inch handle and built-in straps to prevent tradewinds from turning the lid into a kite.
But, you may be thinking, if the city won't pick up a 60-gallon can, what's the point?
"Some homeowners keep a can this large near the house to put daily trash in, then roll it to the trash cans in the front and switch it over," Perez said.
The biggest problem with trash cans -- plastic or galvanized -- is lost lids. No commercially available models within the city's capacity restrictions feature hinged lids, Perez said. "We get lots of calls about lids, but they're not sold singly."
There is a season for high trash-can sales, but it isn't during the holidays, even though people tend to cook more then and give paper-wrapped presents.
"Graduation time, definitely," Perez said. "People want trash cans to fill with ice for storing kegs of beer."
As for the galvanized cans, one refuse worker said he rarely sees them on the street anymore. But he owns one.
"I use it strictly to store dog food," he said.
 GalvanizedOnce the standard, but seldom used now. It dents easily, and bangs around. Sizes range from 10 to 30 gallons; prices from $18 to $23. Good for storing dog food.
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 Basic choicePlastic version of the galvanized can, with handles that snap up to lock down the lid. Capacity is 26 gallons, $9.99.
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 Handy shapeRectagular shape fits better into corners. 33-gallon capacity with snap on lid, $16.97.
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 Most popularThe wheels and lid-locking handles make this the No. 1 choice at Eagle. The 32-gallon capacity is just under the maximum for city pickup, $12.88.
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