A new photo posted online showing one of San Francisco's pricey prototype trash cans is raising questions on whether they are tough enough for city streets.
City officials said part of the ongoing testing is to see how well the trash cans stand up. The trash cans -- some of which come with a $20,000 price tag -- are part of a pilot program to find a new solution for keeping San Francisco streets clean.
"I wasn't sure what it was," said Kevin Arriola, who saw the prototype trash can. "It's not ideal. I imagine if they're prototyping they're trying to find what best fit for the city will be."
San Francisco is testing six models as part of the pilot program -- three off the shelf and three custom designs. The first 30-day test period is wrapping up.
"If you can field test a garbage can in San Francisco, you can field test a garbage can anywhere," said Rachel Gordon, San Francisco Public Works spokesperson.
Gordon said part of the test is to see how the models stand up to real life on the streets.
"We didn't want to just put them on the street," Gordon said. "We want to see what's going to happen to these cans. Do they need a different lock? Does it need a different hinge? Are people not liking to use it?"
People can also weigh in during the testing phase by scanning the QR code on each can.
The city is also looking at how cans stand up to graffiti, how easily they can be serviced, and how easy each one can be used. City officials also want to find a design that will minimize people rummaging through cans and leaving trash on the sidewalk.
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A photo circulating of one trash can apparently failing to stand up to city conditions has some thinking it clearly is not the winner.
Once a design is selected, there will be about 3,000 cans coming, but with a much lower price.
"We're looking at a target price of between $2,000 and $3,000 per can," Gordon said.
