Yes, absolutely! Cities and designers have become much more aware of the physical strain on sanitation workers, leading to some clever innovations in trash can design aimed at speeding up the emptying process.
One of the most significant advancements is the use of standardized, wheeled carts. These are provided to households and businesses. The worker simply rolls the cart to the truck, where a hydraulic lift on the vehicle does the heavy work. This "cart-and-lifter" system is a game-changer, drastically reducing lifting injuries and back strain.
For public space bins, you'll find designs that are fundamentally easier to handle. Think of bins with large, smooth-rolling casters instead of small, stuck wheels. The shapes are also more ergonomic, avoiding sharp edges that can catch on clothing or skin. Some modern "smart" bins even have built-in compaction mechanisms. These compress the trash, meaning they need to be emptied less frequently. When a crew does arrive, they are dealing with a dense, compacted block of waste rather than a loose, overflowing mess, which is faster and cleaner to handle.
Furthermore, the actual opening mechanism is being rethought. Lids are designed to be opened with one hand or a foot pedal, keeping the worker's hands free. The internal liners or bags are also easier to remove without tearing. All these small design details—from the wheels to the lid to the liner—add up to create a significantly more efficient and safer workflow for the dedicated people who keep our cities clean. It's a quiet but important evolution in urban infrastructure.