I think there is a perverse logic behind removing trash cans: people who usually don't just throw their trash on the street will carry it with them until they f

I think there is a perverse logic behind removing trash cans: people who usually don't just throw their trash on the street will carry it with them until they find a way to dispose it properly (at home if they have to); people who are prone to littering will usually do it even if there are trash cans nearby. So I guess the percentage of people who will litter only if they don't find a trashcan is probably small enough so the savings from not having to empty as many trash cans outweigh the cost of cleaning up the additional litter (which has to be done anyway).