I believe the garbage bin was originally conceived as the compartment located beneath the starboard sliding cabinet. Go into the cabinet and there should be a removable slat/board. It's somewhat hidden, and easy to miss altogether. I actually just confirmed that my my current Vega does not have the removable slat, but my first did. I swear it did...I'm not crazy...at any rate, due to the difficulty of that location, I did not use it.Instead, on my first Vega #385 I used a trash bag hung beneath the companionway, where the engine would usually be located (mine was removed). On my current Vega #169, which also has the engine removed, I have an Engel fridge where the engine usually is, and use the ice box as the bin. I suppose if I still had the engine in place, I'd consider using the compartment aft of the stove, but removal would be problematic. Maybe since the ice box is relatively ineffective (insofar as insulation), I'd use that for the bin and keep a cooler aboard elsewhere. I use two paper grocery bags side-by-side in the ice box. Works great, I also cut the lid in half to make it accessible with dishes on the counter.Jacob