Budding young Sunbury artist Samantha Reffold will soon have her work displayed on ‘smart’ solar bins around Hume.
The 10-year-old Killara Primary School pupil won a $500 voucher for her school to spend on an environmental project as part of Hume council’s ‘Smart bins, stop litter’ design competition.
The new solar-powered public ‘smart’ bins will compress waste by up to five times and send a text message to council officers when the bin is almost full to ensure that they are emptied before being completely filled.
Samantha’s winning design will soon adorn three new, smart super-bins being installed next month.
Every year, Hume council collects more than 44,000 tonnes of rubbish – 16,400 tonnes of it recyclable and 5300 tonnes of organic waste.
Mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou says she hopes the bins will help keep streets and parks free of unsightly litter.
“If this trial is successful, we hope to install more of these smart bins to assist with the management of litter,” she said.
“We’re always looking for ways to reduce litter in our municipality.
“The smart solar bin is a great way to stop litter from spoiling our enjoyment of our parks and neighbourhoods.”
Find tips to reduce waste at www.hume.vic.gov.au/waste
