Lake Macquarie City Council will trial new smart compacting bins that promise to store five times more waste than regular bins, in an effort to beautify the popular esplanade at Warners Bay Foreshore.
The $30,000 trial will be funded by New South Wales State Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative and Community Building Partnership grant.
While standard bins hold an average 240L of waste, the new bins boast a capacity of 1200L– the equivalent of filling more than six bathtubs.
The new technology accomplishes this with an internal mechanism for compressing general waste.
Each device contains a 60-watt solar panel which charges a battery that can run for up to four weeks with little to no sun.
Lake Macquarie City Council Waste Strategy Coordinator, Hal Dobbins, said the RAY Smart Solar Powered Compacting Bins, which are for general waste, would be a game changer when it came to beautifying areas and improving the environment.
“Not only will this be able to store more waste with a smaller footprint, but having a strong sealed hatch as a lid ensures no items will blow out into the lake,” Mr Dobbins said.
“Smart sensors placed inside the bin alert Council when the bin is around 80 per cent full, so crews will know when to empty it,” Mr Dobbins said.
“The bins also lock when they’re full, so there’s no chance of them overflowing.”
If successful, more smart solar bins could be implemented at other popular locations such as Redhead Beach, Caves Beach and Belmont Baths.
