Wheeled Waste Bin Sizes: 120L to 1100L Explained
Wheeled waste bins come in five standard sizes: 120L, 240L, 360L, 660L and 1100L. The 120L and 240L two-wheel bins suit households, small offices and light commercial use; the 360L is a larger two-wheel bin for medium-volume sites; and the 660L and 1100L four-wheel containers serve high-volume commercial, warehouse and communal waste. Colour coding is not universal, but a common convention uses grey/black for general waste, blue for paper and card, green for glass, red for plastics and brown for garden or food waste — always confirm with your local collection authority.
Updated July 2026
The five standard wheeled bin sizes at a glance
Wheeled waste bins (also called wheelie bins, mobile garbage bins or MGBs) fall into two families. Two-wheel bins (120L, 240L, 360L) tip forward on a single axle and are the everyday household and small-business format. Four-wheel bins (660L, 1100L) are large communal containers with a hinged flat or domed lid, used where waste volumes are high or many users share one bin.
| Size | Wheels | Typical footprint (indicative) | Best-fit use case | Rough bag equivalent* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120L | 2 | ~480 × 550 × 940 mm | Single household, small office, apartment, aged-care room | ~2–3 standard sacks |
| 240L | 2 | ~580 × 730 × 1080 mm | Family household, salon, small retailer, café | ~4–5 sacks |
| 360L | 2 | ~850 × 700 × 1100 mm | Medium site needing more than 240L but limited floor space | ~6–7 sacks |
| 660L | 4 | ~1400 × 780 × 1210 mm | Bakery, butcher, restaurant, warehouse loading bay, communal blocks | ~11–13 sacks |
| 1100L | 4 | ~1260 × 1200 × 1370 mm | Hotel, hospital, high-output kitchen, shared commercial yard | ~18–22 sacks |
*Bag equivalents are indicative only and assume a ~50L bin liner; actual fill varies with waste density. All dimensions are typical for this product family and are confirmed on quote — see the exact specs on each product page.
A 1200L four-wheel variant is also available where an even larger communal container is required.
How to choose the right size
Match the bin to waste volume, collection frequency and available space, not just headline litres.
- 120L — Low output. One household, a small office kitchen, or a single-room source-separation point. Easy to manoeuvre by one person. - 240L — The workhorse. Standard family household and most small commercial premises with weekly collection. Best balance of capacity and manoeuvrability. - 360L — Choose when 240L overflows before collection day but a four-wheel bin won't fit through a standard doorway or gate. Same two-wheel handling, ~50% more capacity. - 660L — The most popular mid-size commercial container. Suits businesses with steady daily waste (food service, small manufacturing) and communal residential blocks. - 1100L — Highest single-bin capacity in the standard range. For high-throughput kitchens, hospitals, hotels and shared commercial yards. Needs a flat, hard-standing area and a wide access route for the four castors.
Rule of thumb: if a bin is consistently more than three-quarters full at collection, size up or add a second unit rather than overfilling — overfilled lids won't close and can be refused by collection crews.
Every size in this range is manufactured in a single-material HDPE/PP body with reinforced lid hinges and a comb-lift or trunnion-bar profile compatible with standard lifting equipment, and can be moulded in custom colours with printed sorting labels — see the [Waste Bins category](/c/waste-bins) for the full range.
Recycling colour coding by stream
Colour coding lets crews and users identify a waste stream at a glance. There is no single global standard — conventions differ by country and, in the UK, by local council — so treat the table below as the most common convention and confirm against your local collection authority or workplace waste policy.
| Colour | Common stream | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grey / Black | General (residual) waste | Non-recyclable; the default across UK, much of Europe and many US municipalities |
| Blue | Paper & cardboard | Some areas use blue for mixed dry recycling; a few use red instead |
| Green | Glass | Bottles and jars; some councils use green for mixed dry recycling |
| Red | Plastics | Used by some councils in place of blue for dry recyclables |
| Brown | Garden / food waste | Grass, hedge trimmings, leaves; sometimes combined food + garden |
| Yellow | Mixed recycling / commingled | Common in commercial and international schemes |
Because the body colour is moulded in and can be paired with printed stream labels, a single bin size can be ordered across several colours to build a colour-coded source-separation system. Specify the exact colour and label set per stream when you request a quote.
Ordering, MOQ and pricing
Wheeled bins are sold container-direct through our private wholesale network — you buy the manufacturer's channel, not a reseller's markup.
- Pricing: Specifications, dimensions and CBM are public. Wholesale pricing and a landed CIF estimate unlock when you log in as an approved trade buyer. - Minimum order: Minimum order is typically one full container load (1 FCL); the exact per-product MOQ is confirmed when you apply for trade access. - Container planning: A 40' high-cube container offers about 76.3 m³ of usable volume; we estimate units per container from each product's CBM at roughly 85% stow efficiency, or use the supplier-stated figure where available. Smaller bins nest more efficiently per container than the bulky four-wheel 660L/1100L units, so mixed pallets are common.
Browse live SKUs and request trade access from the [Waste Bins category](/c/waste-bins).
Frequently asked
What are the standard wheeled waste bin sizes?
The five standard sizes are 120L, 240L, 360L, 660L and 1100L. The 120L, 240L and 360L are two-wheel bins; the 660L and 1100L are larger four-wheel containers. A 1200L four-wheel variant is also available for the highest-volume sites.
What is the most common bin size for a home versus a business?
A 240L two-wheel bin is the standard household size and also suits small businesses. Commercial premises with higher output typically use 660L or 1100L four-wheel containers; the 660L is the most popular mid-size commercial option.
Is wheelie bin colour coding the same everywhere?
No. There is no universal standard. A common convention uses grey/black for general waste, blue for paper and card, green for glass, red for plastics and brown for garden or food waste, but colours vary by country and by local council — always confirm with your collection authority.
What is the difference between a two-wheel and four-wheel bin?
Two-wheel bins (120L–360L) tip on a single axle and are manoeuvrable by one person through standard doorways. Four-wheel bins (660L, 1100L) are large communal containers on four castors, need a flat access route, and are designed for high-volume or shared use.
How many units fit in a shipping container?
A 40' high-cube container offers about 76.3 m³ of usable volume; units per container are estimated from each product's CBM at roughly 85% stow efficiency, or the supplier-stated figure where available. Smaller bins ship far more per container than the bulky 660L/1100L four-wheel units.
How do I get pricing and place an order?
Specifications, dimensions and CBM are public, but wholesale pricing and a landed CIF estimate unlock when you log in as an approved trade buyer. Minimum order is typically one full container load (1 FCL); the exact per-product MOQ is confirmed when you apply for trade access.