Plastic ring will eventually break
I hope the new ring will last a little longer than the original ring, but being made from plastic, it's a hit or miss. If you would only make it from carbon fiber it would NEVER break and need to be replaced. Overall, I absolutely love my trash can and can use it without the ring, but it's much better with it. I gifted the same model trash can to my brother and sister-in-law and they love theirs, too!