In January 2019, Council installed three ‘smart bins’ on The Loop Road at La Perouse, near the walkway to Bare Island. The bins contain a 60W solar panel that charges a battery, which can operate for up to four weeks regardless of weather. The bins have intelligent safety sensors as well as fire prevention features.

The bins compact the rubbish internally allowing for a greater storage of garbage so they don’t need to be emptied as often. Plus, they send alerts when full, so a crew can be dispatched to empty them immediately. Additionally, the bins lock when full so garbage can’t spill out over the sides.

Council conducted a trial period with the objective of reducing overflowing bins and reducing litter in the surrounding pristine environment.

During the trial period, the bins were checked regularly and the following results were found:

• There was a 73% reduction in number of pieces litter surrounding the bins and 98% lower volume in litter found around the bin.
• The bins scored 84/100 in litter prevention compared to previous bins that scored 55/100.
• The servicing of bins was reduced by 90%, from 21-services per week down to just 2.

The report found some improvements could be made by installing anti-littering signage on the bins and educating the public. Additionally, as they bins aren’t emptied as often, monitoring cleanliness of the bin is needed.

As only three bins have been installed, the report suggests that the next step is to replace all stainless steel bins with smart bins in order to fully optimise the benefits of the smart bin technology. Currently, Council staff are still servicing the other bins every day, whereas the smart bins only need emptying twice a week.

Randwick City Council is committed to providing the best service possible using up-to-date technology in order to achieve this. Smart technology is helping to streamline services and improve customer experiences in our strategic waste services.