A talking litter bin that thanks the person using it has been installed at an East Devon lay-by in a first-ever trial in the region.
The talking bin that compacts rubbish and says ‘thank you’ each time it is used has been unveiled next to the A303 at Upottery.
The new bin is able to show when it is getting full and will message East Devon District Council (EDDC) to say it needs emptying.
The litter bin, jointly backed by the district council and National Highways, works on a sensor to operate and will be monitored with the aim of rolling out more in the future.
The new talking bin is larger than standard bins and works by compacting the waste dropped into the machine.
It works on sensors and it will indicate when it is nearing capacity and send a message to the district council’s Streetscene team to let them know it is full and needs emptying.
Barry Mason, EDDC Streetscene area officer, said: “This new bin has the capability to text our operatives when full and this technology will allow us to optimise our collections and volumes collected while helping to keep our roads clean.”
The new talking bin, unveiled by the district council and National Highways, is in a lay-by on the A303 at Upottery, East Devon.
Photo: EDDC/National Highways.
National Highways said litter collection along the A303 and other major A roads costs local councils millions of pounds each year.
By compacting waste, the new bin aims to save costs by reducing the number of collections.
The East Devon talking bin is the first of its kind installed by National Highways on a south west roadside.
Two of the bins are also being trialled along the A2 in Kent, in in partnership with Dover District Council.
The bins, financed by National Highways Designated Funding, are being monitored amid a trial to see an 80 per cent reduction in maintenance hours, 65 per cent fewer emptying trips, lower carbon emissions, saving £30,000 over five years.
Andrew Gale, south west service manager for National Highways, said litter was a ‘huge issue’ and an every-day activity for its roadworkers, which put them at risk, picking it up.
He said: “Clearing litter from our roads costs the taxpayer millions of pounds a year, and the aim here is to reduce the number of collections and ultimately costs, which councils can ill afford – and if the bins are treated correctly, they’ll even speak nicely to you.”
He added: “We work closely with our local authority partners and we’re hoping that we’ll see a further roll-out of these bins across our laybys in the coming years, and a significant reduction in the amount of litter on our roadsides.”
Have you used the new talking bin? Send a video to East Devon News.
