A waste container ( known more commonly in British English as a dustbin , rubbish-bin or simply bin , and American English as a trash can ) is a container , usually made of plastic or metal , used to store refuse . A waste container is a container for temporarily storing waste , and is usually made out of metal or plastic . Common terms are dustbin , rubbish bin , refuse bin , litter bin , garbage can , trash can , trash barrel , trash bin , skip , dumpster , waste basket , waste paper basket , waste receptacle , litter receptacle , container bin , wheelie bin , bin , and kitchen bin .