An improved trash receptacle for receiving a trash can liner, comprising:
- a trash receptacle body having an upper rim, four substantially planar sidewalls, and a bottom wall;
- the bottom wall of the trash receptacle body being substantially planar and having a rim portion;
- a first recessed channel disposed in a first one of the four sidewalls, said first recessed channel extending in a direction which is transverse to said bottom wall;
- said first recessed channel having substantially planar channel sidewalls extending transversely to said first sidewall of said trash receptacle body, and said first recessed channel having a bounding wall which extends transversely to said channel sidewalls;
- said first recessed channel having a lowermost portion and an uppermost portion, and where a depth of said first recessed channel has a maximum depth adjacent said bottom wall, and tapers in depth in a direction toward said uppermost portion of said first recessed channel;
- said bounding wall of said first recessed channel being substantially planar except near said uppermost portion, and a portion of said bounding wall of said recessed channel at said uppermost portion being arcuate in shape curving smoothly toward said first one of the four sidewalls until it joins said first one of the four sidewalls;
- said uppermost portion of said first recessed channel being spaced from said upper rim;
- said first recessed channel having a width between said channel sidewalls, and wherein said width of said first recessed channel tapers gradually in a direction from a lowermost portion adjacent to said bottom toward said uppermost portion;
- an upper handle extending between said channel sidewalls, said upper handle being disposed near said uppermost portion of said first recessed channel;
- a lower handle extending between said channel sidewalls, said lower handle being disposed near said lowermost portion of said first recessed channel;
- a second recessed channel substantially identical to said first recessed channel, said second recessed channel being disposed in a second one of said four sidewalls;
- said second one of said four sidewalls being opposite from said first one of said four sidewalls;
- and
- a removable lid which has a surface recess for receiving a bottom rim portion of the trash receptacle body, such that said trash receptacle body can be supported atop said removable lid;
- said lid being configured to serve also as a collar in order to permit stacking of two or more trash receptacles;
- said trash receptacle body having a generally uniform wall thickness;
- and
- an outer surface of the trash receptacle body being smooth to facilitate cleaning and sterilization;
- wherein formation of an air vacuum between an interior of the trash receptacle body and a trash can liner is prevented.