Optimising Waste Management with Smarter Bins for a Greener City

Case Study

24th October 2024

Topic Environment
Technology IoT
Sector Environment
Opportunity

Sunderland City Council is continuously exploring innovative technologies to improve quality of life for residents while driving efficiencies in service delivery. Following 2022’s trial of smart compactor bins across the city, the council’s Smart City and Refuse and Recycling teams identified a new opportunity to continuously improve the monitoring and management of waste collection.

Our team recognised that by introducing new Smart Bin Fill Level sensors, we could reduce fuel consumption, maximise staff efficiency, and support Sunderland’s low-carbon goals. The sensors allow the council to monitor bin fill levels in real time, which not only reduces unnecessary journeys but can also help to predict future patterns, enabling more strategic waste collection operations.

 

Solution

Our Smart City and Refuse and Recycling teams have deployed a network of over 190 sensors, retrofitted to existing shroud bins across different areas of Sunderland, including the city centre, seafront, Washington, and Houghton-le-Spring.

These sensors continuously monitor bin fill levels and share information via Sunderland’s robust network of networks, developed through the council’s unique 20-year joint venture partnership with Boldyn Networks. Our networks form the foundation for a wide range of Internet of Things applications across the city, including waste management.

The Smart Bin Fill Level sensors not only detect fill levels but can also monitor temperature changes, providing crucial insights into potential dangers, such as bin fires. The data collected by these sensors is fed into our smart data platform, where it can be accessed and analysed by the council’s environmental services team. This centralised platform consolidates data from multiple locations, allowing operators to assess bin statuses at a glance. This real-time information enables quick decision-making, and enables faster responses to urgent issues, while also supporting long-term waste management strategies.

Alongside real-time use, the data collected can be leveraged to predict future trends. Our team has future ambitions to use this data to forecast when specific bins are likely to fill up, enabling even more precise scheduling and route optimisation.

 

Impact

The Smart Bin Fill Level trial has the potential to be transformative for Sunderland’s waste management operations. By receiving real-time information on bin fill levels, the environmental services team can implement smarter, more efficient waste collection schedules. This reduces the number of unnecessary trips to empty bins that aren’t full, cutting down on fuel usage and supporting the council’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

The pilot also opens opportunities to optimise collection routes, through a more targeted approach for waste collection vehicles. By emptying bins when necessary, we can reduce overall mileage, saving both time and resources. This not only supports our low carbon ambitions but also maximises the utilisation of council staff.

The sensors’ temperature monitoring capability adds another layer of value, allowing for faster responses to issues like bin fires. With alerts being raised as soon as temperature anomalies are detected, the council can act quickly to address these incidents, minimising damage and preventing further disruption.

Looking ahead, predictive analytics will enable the council to pre-emptively plan collection routes, ensuring bins are emptied just before they reach capacity. This data-driven approach will help the council not only respond to current needs but also to anticipate future demand, continuously refining their waste management strategy.

Sunderland City Council’s Smart Bin Fill Level Trial represents a significant step forward in leveraging IoT technology to drive efficiencies across our city. By integrating smart sensors into existing infrastructure, the council is optimising its waste collection operations, reducing environmental impact, and setting the stage for future innovation in waste management.

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