Hull City Council is preparing for a pilot project on the use of smart bins around the city. It is working with local company Connexin, which specialises in internet of things (IoT) technology, to launch the scheme in the next few weeks.
It will involve installing 30 sensors to monitor waste levels in 15 bins in high streets, parks and public spaces. They are being fitted to two types of bin and the pilot will run for six months.
The sensors will enable the council’s street cleaning teams to see when the bins need emptying, and can also detect a sudden motion or shaking, which automatically triggers vandalism alerts, as well as sudden spikes in bin temperature, which trigger fire detection warnings.
In addition, they will provide real time information on fill levels to help the council understand the optimal times for waste collections and can recommend time-effective collection routes.
Connexin said that if the pilot is successful, it will help the council to empty bins more efficiently, before they overflow and with fewer unnecessary collection vehicle journeys. It will also feed into decisions on the local placement of litter bins.
Furqan Alamgir, Connexin’s chief executive officer, said: “This technology will enable teams on the ground to make more informed choices by emptying bins based on fill level, traffic conditions and much more, reducing unnecessary travel time related to waste collection around the city, in turn saving time, fuel and CO2 emissions.
“I believe that these smart and connected bins will become a great example of technology making a real improvement to the quality of living for residents through active management of services.”
Councillor Anita Harrison, portfolio holder for Streetscene at Hull City Council, added: “The council sees smart city technologies as key components of its strategic corporate plan, as well as a major contributor to the City Plan, and we are delighted that Hull will be recognised as a leading smart city in the UK.”
Image: Furqan Alamgir shows off one of the smart bins
