I’m back in Sweden for a while. It’s a strange feeling to be able to slide into a life with such ease after nearly a year away.  But here I am. And I like it. Walking around, plenty of things have changed. Some have been big changes, others, not so much.

It was one of those not so much changes that caught me by surprise today as I walked home from dinner.  Because suddenly, the trash can I walked by was making noise. A lot of noise. Evil, depths of hell noise.  Now, I’ll admit, I had two beers with dinner.  However, it takes more than two beers in me before trash cans start making noises.

Luckily, the two guys walking behind me seemed just as confused. They actually went over and threw something down into the trash can. Having tossed some test trash in they walked away, seemingly satisfied.  It was at this point I noticed that they were walking around with cans of beer in their hand. Maybe not the most reliable sources.

With a little help from a friend though, answers were found.  Turns out that the city of Stockholm began a project back in September to install a few self-emptying trash cans in Mariatorget.  Turns out those trash cans are now installed.  Turns out they work.  And turns out that when they do work, it sounds like a portal to hell has been opened.

Apparently, the idea is that the self-emptying trash cans are meant to keep rats away.  It sounds genius to me. Whether it works or not, I don’t know. But I love it.  Except for the frightening noises erupting from the bowels of Stockholm. I could do without that.

For more, check out Självtömmande papperskorgar på Mariatorget at Stockholm.se.