Rome mayor says that coming up with new bin design was not easy.

"Here are the new iron bins that will replace the ones in the historic centre with the horrible hanging transparent plastic bags," announced Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi on her Facebook page.

"This morning we have installed five of them in Piazza della Rotonda at the Pantheon," wrote Raggi on 15 December, adding that if they "pass the test" the new model will be rolled out all over the centre.

Several years ago the old cast-iron rubbish bins were replaced with the current "floppy" variety for security reasons in line with elevated anti-terrorism levels.

However, as Raggi points out, these exposed bags often break, "causing the rubbish to fall to the ground."

• Rome to get new rubbish bins

Apart from blowing in the wind, the main problem encountered by these bins has been the city's seagulls which peck away with ease at the bags.

Raggi says that "over the years" the city has worked on various prototypes, none of which have met the demands imposed by the police (for security), by cultural authorities (for aesthetic reasons) and by the refuse agency AMA (for practicality of rubbish collection).

It has been a "difficult job" according to Raggi, who said the goal was to create something "beautiful and respectable-looking" as well as being "practical and safe."

Unveiling the end result with a photograph of an urn-shaped bin with strapped design, Raggi said she hopes the new look is "appreciated by citizens and tourists."

Photo Virginia Raggi