24 provide a passage for the can 13 to pass through a lid opening 14 in the lid 12 for deposit into the container 11 the lid opening 14 is approximately equivalent in size and shape to the bottom opening 24 of the housing 20 the housing 20 is fastened to the top surface of the lid 12 by at least one 1 fastener 26 such as an angle clip with threaded fasteners as best seen in fig2 referring now to fig2 an exploded perspective view of the receptacle with counter device 10 depicted with a waste container lid 12 and fig5 a close up view of the actuation arm 32 plurality of digit wheels 35 and ratchet 36 assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed the housing 20 includes an access aperture 25 disposed in a sidewall to accommodate the motion of the actuation arm 32 of the counting device 30 the counting device 30 is affixed to the exterior of the side wall of the housing 20 in proximity to the access aperture 25 with threaded fasteners or metal rivets the actuation arm 32 has a proximal end and is attached to the indexing shaft 31 of the counting device 30 and projects through the access aperture 25 and into the channel 21 to terminate at a distal end the distal end is a plate defining a contact point 33 that resides generally subjacent to the center of the top opening.