BigBelly bins come to Melbourne

The City of Melbourne is reducing waste overflow by installing six BigBelly bins — high-tech bins that hold seven times the waste of a standard bin — at busy CBD locations.

According to Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, this is the first time the high-tech bins have been installed in Victoria. Each bin costs around $6000 and holds 560 L, compared with a standard public litter bin that holds 80 L.

“The bins include sensor technology that is solar powered, but the great thing about them is that they also compact rubbish as it’s collected, allowing them to fit more in,” explained the Lord Mayor. “A contractor is then alerted when the bin is 70% full and needs emptying within the hour.”

The bins can also be opened using a foot pedal, which means it’s no longer necessary to touch the lid.

The chair of the City of Melbourne’s Environment Portfolio, Cr Arron Wood, said Melbourne’s street bins collect 4800 tonnes of waste every year and it can be a challenge to keep them below capacity. At Flinders Street Station, for example, the City normally collects bins “between six and eight times a day”.

As such, the North Bank underpass outside the station will become home to one of the new bins, with the rest to be installed at the following locations:

• Queensberry Square in Southbank (three bins)
• Corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street (one bin)
• Corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street (one bin)

“We’ve also designed larger 240 L steel bins to replace our standard 80 L bins,” said Cr Wood. “The larger bins will be installed in high-use areas such as Bourke Street Mall.”

Image caption: Locations for the BigBelly bins.