The borough of Greenwich, UK, has installed 18 state-of-the-art solar-powered, IoT-connected bins to improve the efficiency of local waste management services.
The bins were installed throughout the borough as part of a project to investigate the potential value of IoT connectivity for improving the efficiency of waste collection. The SolarStreetBins by PEL (UK) Rentals Ltd are solar-powered, IoT-connected bins which can monitor the level of litter they have collected, and alert authorities when they need to be emptied.
The bins have been installed in pairs in nine of Greenwich’s busiest high street locations, with one bin of each pair designated for general waste and the other for recycling waste. The new bins will replacing the existing bins in these locations, to measure the potential impact on efficiency compared to standard bins.
What are the advantages of the SolarStreetBins?
The state-of-the-art 120 litre bins are fitted with a sensor which measures litter levels inside each bin, and a solar-powered compaction system which can significantly increase the capacity of each bin. In fact, the regular compacting of litter means the capacity of the bins is increased by up to ten times over a standard bin of the same size.
Further, the sensors will report to local authorities when bins are full, allowing waste management officials to maximise efficiency by ensuring that only the bins that need to be emptied are serviced, rather than attending to every bin at once. This is managed using PEL’s BriteBin fill-level reporting software, as well as a wireless transmitter which facilitates the bin’s Internet of Things connectivity, and allows it to report data directly to the borough council.
These factors in combination will lead to significant reductions in the frequency with which bins need to be emptied, cutting collection traffic and the resultant greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the costs associated with waste management for the local council.
