Big Belly Bins
Solar-powered rubbish bins that compact their own litter have gone on trial in Britain for the first time. Big Belly Bins, as they are fondly known, use the power of the sun to compress rubbish meaning they can hold up to eight times as much as a regular bin.
The revolutionary technology means council workers need to empty them less often – dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of waste collections.
The bins, which can hold 800 litres of waste, use a compaction mechanism to exert force on the rubbish. The mechanism uses no hydraulic fluids and runs on a standard 12 volt battery, which is kept charged by the solar panel.
‘These bins mean the city council can cut fuel costs and carbon emissions bringing benefits to taxpayers and the environment.
‘The bins are also compatible with a SIM card which can send a text or email to a number when they are full.