Edinburgh litter bins: Council review uses data from sensors to decide bin locations like parks and bus stops

Edinburgh council plans data-led review of litter bin locations across the city in bid to improve cleanliness rating

More litter bins are set to appear in Edinburgh's parks and at bus stops in a bid to help clean up the Capital.

The city council plans to use data – including information from sensors inside the city's 3,300 litter bins – to work out the best places to site the bins.

Transport and environment convener Scott Arthur said: "There's a feeling in the city that there's fewer bins than there used to be and fewer than there needs to be. There's a feeling that there's perhaps too much focus on the city centre and the council is putting bins where they're easy to manage rather than where they're needed. So we're going to take a much more data-based approach now to dealing with this.

Sensors inside litter bins will in future be used to help decide where bins are most needed - as well as when they need emptied.

“A couple of years ago Edinburgh was ranked one of the worst in Scotland for street cleanliness. This year, with some changes and extra funding, we have seen there has been an improvement. What we're doing with litter bins is about continuing that improvement. What we will see is probably more bins in parks, more bins near bus stops and more bins on the path network."

The bin sensors allow officials to monitor when bins need emptied and they can therefore see which ones are being used most and also vary the frequency of collections to improve efficiency.

Cllr Arthur said the review of bin locations would be guided by where the data showed bins were needed, as well as feedback from cleansing staff and complaints from the public. "Hopefully this will help us move back up that league table of street cleanliness.” As well as the data from the bin sensors the council will use information from the regular independent cleanliness surveys, the multiple deprivation index and bus stop usage figures.

A report to the council’s transport and environment committee explains that the reason there are not more bins in parks and on the path network is that they need to be emptied by a vehicle and it is often difficult for bin lorries to get close enough. Bins will need to be sited so that lorries can get within 20 metres of them, or if the park is near a barrow route bins could be serviced in that way.

And the report adds: “In the future, if additional funding becomes available, it may be possible to introduce on-site teams to work in specific locations, primarily premier parks, and to install a more traditional style of litter bin. In this scenario, the on-site team could not only be responsible for regular checking and emptying of litter bins but could also undertake a range of other tasks relating to opening, closing, and maintenance of parks toilets, where appropriate. These teams may also be able to support general grounds maintenance tasks.”