There is a new weapon in the council's armour for the fight against litter in two Salford 'hotspots'.
Eighty-two bins across Salford Quays and Ordsall are now being fitted with sensors to let council workers know when they need emptying as part of a trial.
It means that collections can be tailored to bins which need immediate attention, rather than crews having to check every single one in the area.
The bins are also twice the size of the old ones they replace, and if the trial is successful, more of the 1,800 litter bins across Salford could also get the new technology.
Salford City Council says the move comes on the back of a year which has seen more people using its open spaces during the pandemic, leading to more litter being thrown away in the city's bins.
Peter Openshaw, strategic director place at Salford City Council, said: “The smart bins will help us provide a timely response which I’m sure the public will appreciate.
"It will also free up staff time to tackle other environmental issues around the city and will be better for our carbon footprint by reducing journeys."
Last year, residents at Salford Quays spoke out about litter in their area, after shocking images of waste floating in South Bay emerged.
It followed episodes of anti-social behaviour during lockdown with large numbers of people gathering at Detroit Bridge - although the council suggested heavy rainfall could have washed debris into the quays from other areas.
But Mr Openshaw admits bins across Salford have been getting used more regularly during the pandemic - and this new tool should help to make sure litter ends up in the right place.
He added: “We’ve seen a massive increase in the numbers of people visiting local parks and open spaces and using our litter bins over the last year.
"Some bins are now being emptied twice daily at ‘hotspots’ because areas have become so popular.
“The public can help by making sure they always dispose of litter properly when out and about.”
