Smart communal bins which tell Cityclean when they’re full could be on the cards if a trial of solar powered, waste compacting litter bins is successful.
The Big Belly litter bins are being piloted around the city centre, and as well as compacting trash they tell the council when they need to be emptied.
Once the trial is over, Brighton and Hove City Council says it will be looking at using similar technology in communal bins.
A council spokeswoman said: “About 100 Big Belly bins are being trialled in the city centre. They are solar powered and compact waste which reduces the frequency with which they need to be emptied. They also notify the service when they require emptying.
“Following on from this the council will be looking at using similar technology in communal bins that enable electronic notification of when they require servicing.”
Meanwhile, work is underway to refurbish existing communal bins which have become old and damaged. More than 50 bins have now been refurbished or replaced, most of them in the city centre Regency and St Peter’s and North Laine wards, with more bins delivered this week and rolled out in those two wards.
The communal bin refurbishment programme was originally due to start in April 2015 but the tendering process took longer than anticipated. Work began in August and the council has been working with suppliers to make sure the refurbishments and the new bins are of good quality.
Staff have carried out an audit of all 600 communal bins to see which ones need replacing and to make sure the worst affected ones are replaced or refurbished first.
Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the city’s environment committee, said: “We are moving ahead now with this project following some detailed work that will ensure the right bins are being replaced in the areas that need them.
“We are also applying for some additional funds from 2016/17 budget so that we can speed up the programme and really crack on with it.”
