Board approves pilot for redesigned trash cans after supervisors trim prototype budget

The Board of Supervisors on July 27 authorized the release of $537,000 in board‑reserved funds to pilot redesigned public trash cans and proceed toward a citywide replacement decision, approving an amendment by Supervisor Haney that reduced the prototype budget to $427,500.

Supervisor Haney and department staff told the board that San Francisco’s existing trash cans are at the end of their useful life, are frequently damaged or left open, and contribute to litter problems on city streets. Department of Public Works staff and the Arts Commission have been working on a custom trash‑can design, but supervisors questioned whether the city should design a bespoke product or select a commercially available model. DPW said they would prototype several custom designs as well as off‑the‑shelf models and test them in neighborhoods across the city.

Haney moved an amendment to lower the prototype appropriation and require competitive unit prices for mass production; the board adopted that amendment unanimously. The amended funding package directs DPW to deploy multiple prototypes — including custom and commercial units — across diverse neighborhoods, solicit public feedback, and then recommend a single design for purchase and citywide replacement of roughly 3,000 cans.

Supervisors emphasized the need for clear testing across neighborhoods and for a procurement process that includes durability, cost and maintenance analyses. DPW officials said eventual unit cost in production would be comparable to existing units and that mass production costs should be lower than the per‑unit prototype prices.

The motion passed unanimously.