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                    Melbourne takes innovative approach to CBD rubbish

                    Media release, Tuesday 29 March 2016
                    The City of Melbourne is reducing waste overflow by installing six BigBelly bins with smart sensor technology at busy CBD locations.

                    ​Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the new bins hold 560 litres, compared with a standard public litter bin which holds 80 litres. 

                    "This is the first time these high-tech bins have been installed in Victoria. They can hold seven times the waste of a standard bin and will help to reduce waste overflow at some of Melbourne’s busiest destinations," the Lord Mayor said.

                    "Our city welcomes up to a million people on a busy day. This means waste is increasing and our bins are filling faster. The new bins are just one of the smart and innovative ways we are reducing waste on our streets to complement regular garbage truck collections.

                    "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. A contractor is then alerted when the bin is 70 per cent full and needs emptying within the hour."

                    The high-tech bins will be installed at the following locations:

                    • Queensberry Square in Southbank (three bins)
                    • North Bank underpass outside Flinders Street Station (one)
                    • Corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street (one)
                    • Corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street (one).

                    The bins can be opened using a foot pedal, which means it’s no longer necessary to touch the lid. Each bin costs around $6000. In September 2015, the City of Melbourne also installed 50 EYEfi Sensors in our existing street bins as a part of a two-year trial.

                    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, especially during events and busier times of the year. 

                    "The BigBelly bins will be in busy CBD locations such as Flinders Street station, where we normally collect bins between six and eight times a day," Cr Wood said. 

                    "We’ve also designed larger 240 litre steel bins to replace our standard 80 litre bins. The larger bins will be installed in high-use areas such as Bourke Street Mall."

                    The City of Melbourne administers 2496 public litter bins and 545 recycling bins across the municipality, with $9.8 million spent on waste services each year.

                    The City of Melbourne’s Integrated Waste Management Recovery Program aims to increase recycling, decrease waste sent to landfill and keep our city streets clean.

                    For more information see Working smarter to reduce litter.

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