Smart Bins

"BigBelly" bins installed across Southampton City.

08:13 10 June 2020

New smart bins designed to crush rubbish and send alerts to the council when they need to be emptying are now being used across Southampton. 

 

25 new solar-powered 'BigBelly' bins, which have been installed in Bitterne, Ocean Village and the city centre, feature built-in sensors that activate a compactor mechanism to crush the rubbish to maximise their capacity. They were also designed with smart technology that sends alerts to the depot when they are full, enabling the council to reduce the collections being made and free the time of employees so they can focus on other street cleaning duties. The council said that the bins have also display panels featuring a new anti-littering campaign artwork aimed at encouraging residents to dispose of litter properly. 

 

Councillor Christopher Hammond, leader of the city council, said: "We're working to make our city greener, fairer and healthier. 

 

"Our investment in these new hi-tech solar bins enables us to take five times more rubbish than our standard bins and to know digitally when it needs to be emptied.

 

"This is more efficient, saves time, keeps our streets cleaner and reduces pollution which endangers wildlife.

 

"Installing these new solar bins is just one part of the Green City Plan, to ensure that we're a carbon-neutral city by 2030 and that we're all living in a greener city."