For most grey nomads, the sight of overflowing bins in remote rest areas and campsites is an all too familiar one.
With local authorities facing financial pressures and the huge cost of making refuse collections – particularly in country areas – it is perhaps no surprise that, in many places, the solution has been to simply remove the rubbish receptacles and hope that people take the ‘problem’ away with them.
But there could be a high-tech solution that could help de-litter some of our most scenic beauty spots and picnic areas?
The City of Melbourne is perhaps showing what could be done as it undertakes Australia’s largest smart bin rollout, replacing all existing bins in the CBD with 500 solar-powered compacting bins for general waste and recycling.
The smart bins are being rolled out across Melbourne. PIC: Superfy
Installation has already begun and will be completed by the end of November, with bins located across the CBD, Southbank and parks along the Yarra River.
The rollout of the bins from smart waste and recycling technology company, Superfy, will enable the City of Melbourne to phase out fixed-route collections replaced with on-demand pickups.
Each Superfy S200 BriteBin manufactured by PEL and Installed and managed by Superfy, has solar-powered compaction and fill-level sensors that trigger a collection only when a bin reaches 85% capacity. It means fixed-route pickups can be replaced with on-demand collections and directly cutting truck movements through the city.
Any bin that reaches full capacity triggers a priority dispatch, while the sealed, non-touch design prevents spillage, pests and litter.
Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the new solar-powered bins will mean less wasted time, fewer unnecessary collections and more efficient cleaning.
“The new smart bins have sensors which alert our team to when they need be emptied,” he said. “There’s nothing worse than an overflowing bin, and the new technology will help us keep Melbourne clean and at its best.”
The bins are able to hold four times the amount of waste a regular litter bin can by compacting the rubbish. They feature a contactless opening flap, integrated foot pedal, and every unit is wheelchair accessible.
The AI-enabled Superfy platform gives provides insights to make decisions about collection frequency, bin placement and resourcing, and automatically reports recycling diversion rates.
Superfy’s Chief Executive Officer, Darren O’Donohoe, said it all made for an exciting future.
“Waste collection has traditionally been blind … trucks run fixed routes on fixed schedules regardless of whether bins are full or empty, which means wasted fuel, unnecessary emissions and, at the other end, overflowing bins on busy weekends,” he said. “Waste management providers also increasingly need to evidence their diversion rates, not just estimate them … smart waste management solves both problems: you collect when you need to, and you can prove where every kilogram went.”
Superfy currently deploys more than 12,000 bins deployed across Australia with clients already including Brimbank Council, Tea Tree Gully Council, Kiama Municipal Council, and the University of Sydney.
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