Successful bin sensor trials shift Sunshine Coast towards ‘Smart City’ status

One of the first technology trials in council’s Smart City Program has demonstrated the effectiveness of bin sensors and provided valuable data that will reduce council’s carbon footprint and improve service efficiency.

The public place bin sensors, installed in five bins on Caloundra’s Bulcock Beach Esplanade, monitor the amount of waste placed in each bin using ultrasound technology.

Division 2 Councillor Tim Dwyer said the sensors could potentially reduce collection vehicle emissions even more if they are rolled out across the region and provide similar data.

“The bin sensors have helped to determine an environmentally responsible outcome which benefits people in the immediate area and ratepayers across the region,” Cr Dwyer said.

“Reducing the frequency of waste collection vehicles in a high use area also means less disruption, particularly in a recreational zone like Bulcock Beach Esplanade.

“Installing this technology widely across the region could help us better understand where our waste ‘hot spots’ are to deliver a more efficient service.

“If we can realise these improvements in a small area as part of the trial, it is very likely we could make more significant improvements for the whole region.

“This is just one example of how smart technologies can help council and other organisations conduct business more efficiently and deliver optimised services to our community.”

Council is using Caloundra as a ‘Smart City Living Lab’ to test the technologies before installing them across the region to help determine which ones are most suitable and cost effective to install. The trials are part of council’s Smart City program.

The waste bin sensors are just one trial being conducted – others include water quality and salinity sensors, parking availability sensors, WiFi and digital water flow meters.

You can visit council’s Smart Centre at 63 Bulcock Street in Caloundra to view interactive displays and results of the smart technologies being trialled.

Fast fact

• Council manages 3,000 public place bins across the Sunshine Coast.