Bin worth the wait for council waste initiative

They’re the bins that have positioned Wyndham council as a world leader in waste diversion.

Wyndham has been ranked fifth in the world in a list of the top 25 smart cities with the highest waste diversion ratio, with its smart bin technology beating out initiatives by New York’s Times Square Alliance and Miami Beach in Florida.

The council has diverted more than 386,000 litres of recycling away from landfill since installing the 32 smart bins throughout the streets of Werribee and Point Cook 12 months ago.

The bins, which have solar panels on top, automatically crush and compact waste, allowing them to hold up to 600 litres of rubbish and recycling – five times more than the average street bin.

The bins also notify council staff when they are full and need to be emptied.

Wyndham council’s smart city portfolio holder Aaron An said the results spoke for themselves.

“This is a great result that shows how thinking outside of the box and implementing new technologies to tackle some old problems can make a real difference,” Cr An said.

“From our award-winning CityLens initiative that show users the future of our city in augmented reality, to these environmentally friendly bins, Wyndham is leading the way in harnessing new and emerging technologies to solve every day problems and improve the lives of our residents.”

There are currently no plans to roll out more bins.