Upper Lachlan Shire Council are seeking to literally harness the power of the sun as a way of combating street litter.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Council, with support from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Litter Prevention Grants, are set to install five 'BigBelly' Solar Bins.
The Bins use solar power to operate and compact waste volumes up to five times greater than the current street bins.
Solar bins will be trialed in prominent locations around the Shire with ultimate aim of reducing collection frequency in addition to reducing windblown litter from overflowing bins during peak times.
Bins will be connected to a software management system which will alert council staff to remaining bin capacity as well as identifying any maintenance issues.
Council's Director of Environment and Planning, Alex Waldron said the trial would hopefully free up council staff as well as obviously reducing emissions.
"During peak times street bins are frequently emptied with the potential to overflow causing windblown litter in certain locations," he said.
"The new Solar bins will hold much greater volumes and also alert staff if they become full before their scheduled collection. This means staff won't have to go out and visually check the bins which reduces greenhouse emission levels by cutting the number of trips required and reduces service costs."
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking news and regular newsletters