The initial trial using 400 sensors will take place in Drumchapel, Dennistoun and Preisthill, which if successful will be extended a further 12 months and branched out to other target areas. The ultimate goal is to extend this coverage to the whole of Glasgow.

The sensors will be used to transmit information back to a city centre control room, indicating when bins are full and need emptying. It is hoped that the data gathered from the bins will help improve refuse collection efficiency by reducing the number of collection trips made each day. The upgrade will enable the council to better rationalise the deployment of their fleet.

Investing in a Cleaner Glasgow

The trial is part of Glasgow City Council’s £6 million extra cleaning investment announced in the recent budget, which will see 215 new cleansing staff added and the contracts of 75 people employed as the first Task Force trainees extended until March 2018.

At the moment Glasgow has 10,000 on-street bins, those in particularly busy areas such as the main city centre are emptied up to three times a day.

While there is great enthusiasm for the project Councillor Paul Carey raised the issue of potential job losses, cost of the new bins and how long it would take to replace a damaged bin.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly said:

“I am looking forward to see how the integration of smart technology alongside the hard work already being carried out by our LES staff can help improve the cleanliness of our streets.”

“While the pilot will be limited to a small number of wards I hope that successful trials will see it rolled out across the city and all areas of Glasgow can benefit.”

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council said:

“This measure will ensure resources are focused where they are needed most and reduce wasted journeys to quieter areas to check if bins need emptying. This will make the service more efficient, meaning staff can spend time in busier areas where bins need emptied most frequently.”

“These measures build on the success of the environmental task force which has had a huge impact on the city and been well received by the public.”

Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, said:

“We are investing millions of pounds to improve our environment. The roll-out of smart bins across the city and in local neighbourhoods is a huge step towards achieving our ambitions for a cleaner city.”

“Neighbourhoods will benefit as we won’t see unsightly refuse sacks on streets awaiting uplift, and larger capacity bins will minimise overflowing rubbish on pavements.”