Melbourne CBD adds more BigBelly bins

The City of Melbourne has installed eight more BigBelly bins with smart sensor technology, following a successful trial of six bins in busy CBD locations. Each of the $6000 bins holds 560 L, compared with a standard public litter bin that holds 80 L.

“The BigBelly 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,” said the chair of the City’s Environment Portfolio, Cr Arron Wood. “A contractor is then alerted when the bin is 70% full and needs emptying within the hour.”

The City of Melbourne placed the first six BigBelly bins around Flinders Street, Elizabeth Street and Southbank in March this year. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle described the trial as a “resounding success” which saw more than 146,000 litres of general waste collected.

“The BigBelly bins hold seven times the waste of a standard litter bin,” the Lord Mayor said. “This has resulted in fewer garbage trucks needing to regularly access this busy area of the CBD. Instead of collecting the bins up to eight times a day, we have only needed to collect them once a day.”

Eight additional BigBelly bins have now been installed within the block of Swanston Street, Flinders Street, Elizabeth Street and Flinders Lane — an area described by Doyle as “one of the most challenging areas in the CBD to service litter bins”. Standard recycling bins have also been located alongside the BigBelly bins.

“One of the biggest challenges we face as a capital city council is the amount of landfill our city produces, so we are always looking at new ways to reduce waste and improve recycling,” Cr Wood said.

Image caption: A map showing the location of the new BigBelly bins.