The placement of easy-to-use garbage cans does NOT reduce the amount of trash in an area -- it INCREASES it. Plain & simple, people dump their house trash at cans, overwhelming it...
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This is very true. I work at a bank and have done so for almost 20 years. Early in my career, we had trash cans by the ATM machines. In theory, it was so someone could throw away the receipt if they didn't want it. In reality, it became a place where people placed cups, fast food garbage, water bottles, etc. It was often filled to capacity, or over, daily. We no longer place trash receptacles by the ATM or outside the bank. If you ever notice trash receptacles at gas stations, this is pretty much the same thing. People stop to get gas and they empty their cars of any and all trash. Many stations no longer place trash receptacles near pumps for the same reason.
I imagine that trailside cans would have the same impact. While it is nice in theory, many people, possibly unknowingly, would cause a bigger issue than what is already present. Let's be honest, most people don't carry their trash all the way home when on trail. They empty the trash at the first trash receptacle they see. It's just how it is.