As of today (Mon June 10) Bristolians will see dozens of high-tech super bins begin to appear across Bristol city centre.
The bins - from the company Bigbelly - not only compact rubbish inside to make room for more but also send an email alert to Bristol Waste when they need emptying.
A total of 110 bins are will be appearing across the city over the coming weeks in a bid by Bristol City Council to tackle increased reports of litter, fly-tipping and graffiti.
As part of a pilot trial three of the solar-powered bins were installed at College Green over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
The rest of the bins are expected to be installed mainly near the Harbourside, Broadmead, Park Street and the centre.
The bins, which are part of a £1million investment by the city council, can hold up to eight times more than a standard bin.
They also provide ‘up-to-the-minute’ information, letting Bristol Waste know when they are full and need to be emptied.
According to Bristol Waste some of the bins have been designed to look like caged monsters - who live on a diet of rubbish.
The company has also said the inbuilt compaction system and management technology increases their capacity, which means 80 per cent fewer collections are needed, and fewer vehicles are required on Bristol’s streets.
Tony Lawless, managing director at Bristol Waste, said: “In a time when budgets are shrinking, we need to think ‘smart’ about waste.
“We’re delighted that by integrating this smart and green technology in our Super Hungry Bins, and in our new, more sustainable fleet, we can not only make our budgets go further, but reduce our environmental impact on our city.”
The funding for the bins is part of the council’s Clean Streets Campaign which was launched by Bristol mayor Marvin Rees in 2016, with the aim of making the city measurably cleaner by 2020.
Mr Rees said: “This investment will bolster our ability to clean the city streets, and recognises how important addressing this issue is to the people of Bristol.
“The money will allow us to take practical action, as well as support our engagement with local communities and schools, and strengthen our ability to gather evidence about environmental crimes.”
