Smart bin technology enables us to remotely monitor how full individual litter bins are. 

Knowing the fill-level of a litter bin without having to visit the specific location makes it easier to allocate resources effectively - no more scheduled trips to empty a bin only to find it was a wasted trip as the bin’s got hardly anything in it. Instead, efforts can be focused on emptying bins that we know for a fact are reaching their capacity.

With the help of smart bins, we can:

  • Improve efficiency - using the resources available to us in a more focused and targeted way.

  • Reduce the number of bins required - decluttering and improving the street scene.

  • Drive down our carbon emissions - by doing away with the need to drive to bins that still have plenty of space in them.

  • Encourage recycling-on-the-go - by ensuring litter bins aren’t over-flowing, residents will be encouraged to put the right thing in the right bin when they’re out and about.
     

The proof is in the pudding - The Sutton High Street trial

Since summer 2019, we have been trialling smart bins in Sutton High Street, with impressive results:

  • 21 standard litter bins were replaced with 10 ‘compactor smart bins’, that squash the litter to fit more in and remotely report on fill levels.

  • In the first four weeks of the trial, 43,949 litres of waste was collected.

  • There was a 90% reduction in collections.

  • Levels of street cleanliness were not affected.

  • The street scene was improved and decluttered, particularly around Brighton Road and The Quadrant.