Two trash cans designed to accommodate pizza boxes popped up in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood last week.

“When people finish their pizza and want to dispose of their box properly, they’ll now have the right place to do it,” said Supervisor Danny Sauter in a statement. Sauter represents District 3, where North Beach is located.

The square-shaped trash cans that have a wide slot were installed at Washington Square park, where the overflow of empty pizza boxes has been an issue, according to Sauter. 

Washington Square Park is just a short walk away from numerous pizza restaurants, making it a convenient picnic spot for people who want to eat their takeout pizza fresh out of the oven. 

But the shape of pizza boxes often do not fit into the city’s public trash cans. Even when the boxes are crumpled and broken down, they can sometimes block other trash from entering, leading to more litter, according to Sauter. 

“It’s great people are in North Beach enjoying a delicious slice or a whole pie,” said San Francisco Public Works Director Carla Short in a statement. “This will make it easier for them to discard their empty takeout containers without littering.”

The Department of Public Works partnered with Recology, the city’s waste management provider, on installing the bins. 

The trash cans are wrapped in colorful artwork by Sirron Norris, a San Francisco-based artist known for his work on the television series “Bob’s Burgers.”

Sauter’s office will evaluate the effectiveness of the trash cans by gathering feedback from the public.

Alise Maripuu is an intern at BCN with a focus on covering the Peninsula. Originally from San Carlos, Alise discovered her passion for journalism after studying abroad in Thailand during her senior year attending UC Santa Cruz. Her experience in Thailand taught her the consequences for democracy when living in a society with strict laws against free speech. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history, Alise took courses in journalism at Skyline Community College to learn how to write for news. As the Chief Copy Editor on Skyline’s student-run newspaper for the 2023-24 school year, Alise gained editing and managing experience leading a team of reporters. She covered hyperlocal stories affecting her campus such as the rise in food and housing insecurity. Alise wants to focus on data journalism.