A small plastic can may be adequate for household or office garbage. For industrial uses, such as to contain steel shavings, a metal drum may be more durable. Make sure the can is watertight if it has to hold liquids.
Trash cans vary in size from 5 to 60 gallons. For outdoor cans, most people use a 30 to 45 gallon drum. Anything above 45 gallons becomes unmanageable to dump. Get more cans if you need more garbage capacity.
If the cans are outdoors, consider the local wildlife. Bears, stray dogs, raccoons and opossums love to scavenge around in garbage, looking for scraps. You should obtain cans with tight fitting lids to prevent the garbage from being strewn. If wildlife is a problem, consider obtaining a heavy duty can. The New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife provides a list of bear-proof garbage can manufacturers.
Some municipalities have legal ordinances that must be followed. These have to do with size and weight limits. Since many cities rely on men to collect garbage, human limitations are in effect. A man cannot lift a 500 lb. can. One such city is Seattle, Washington, where the weight limit is 60 lbs. for a 32 gallon can. Before purchasing garbage cans, check with your city's sanitation department to find out what ordinances are in place.