Kalamazoo installs 25 super cool “smart” recycling bins and bins

Kalamazoo city center recently installed 25 Big belly Dual station smart bins and recycling bins. When I first heard about these high tech trash cans and recycling bins, I thought this was something Flint really needed.

What is the special feature of the Bigbelly Smart Waste & Recycling system?

These dual station recycling bins and bins are solar powered waste units that you would normally see in big cities, schools, parks, malls, etc.

When people throw away their trash, a sensor measures the capacity, and then a compactor squeezes it all together. This allows the unit to swallow up 8 times more waste than a traditional trash can. Once the unit fills, it sends an email notification indicating how full it is and when it will be ready to be emptied.

The new bins should obviously keep the city cleaner, but will also reduce costs, collections and CO2 emissions.

According to MLive, the installation of the bins marks the introduction of the first downtown-wide recycling program. Since installation, almost 50% of all collections have been diverted to recycling.

Meghan Behymer, Communications and Marketing Manager of the Kalamazoo Town Center Partnership:

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new downtown Bigbelly waste and recycling program. By deploying 25 smart Bigbelly systems, the city center is moving forward with technology that translates into a cleaner, more welcoming and more environmentally friendly community core.

These smart trash cans look so much prettier than a traditional box that normally contains overflowing trash. They look clean, stylish, and a bit futuristic.

The units are a bit expensive, as each costs between $ 4 and $ 5,000. I’m sure it pays off in the long run though.

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