Studies show up to 80% of public bins visited by waste collection teams don't need emptying. IoT fill-level sensors change that calculation completely - reducing costs, cutting emissions and improving environments for the communities you serve.
52%
Cost reduction
Demonstrated at BCP Council across municipal waste collections
80%
Unnecessary visits
Typical share of public bins visited that don't need emptying
Rail
Industry first
UK rail's first smart bin trial with Biffa and Northern
Any
Bin type
Wheelie bins, street bins, front loaders and recycling containers
Smart bins allow operators to optimise collections and recycling to keep communities clean. Cost savings and environmental improvements come together when fill-level data drives every decision.
Sensors report the exact fill percentage of every bin in real time. Dispatch only to bins that actually need emptying - eliminating the majority of unnecessary collection runs at a stroke. No Wi-Fi, no mains power, 5-year battery life.
See the solution →Data insights enable efficient route planning that reduces vehicle mileage. Meeting sustainability targets gets far easier when you're not driving lorries to empty bins. Collections happen when needed, not on a fixed schedule that ignores reality.
See the solution →Fitting sensors to both general waste and recycling bins allows usage comparisons across locations and over time. Identify where recycling is underperforming and direct policy changes with real evidence. Keyring fobs can track usage by commercial clients.
See the solution →Temperature and lid-position sensors detect potential people, animals or fires inside bins. Custom SMS and email alerts trigger immediately, ensuring the right person is notified and can respond before a situation escalates.
See the solution →Inefficient collections, littered environments and asset damage from fire led us to work closely with Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council. The result: a 52% reduction in waste management costs alongside measurable environmental improvements.
As a local authority we are under increasing pressure to deliver improved services for a growing population with reduced budgets. We are excited by the potential demonstrated through the activities we are undertaking with IoT Solutions Group.
Adrian Hale · Smart Place Strategy & Programming Lead · BCP Council
Working with Biffa and Northern to improve waste management across the rail network with smart bin fill-rate sensors. This industry-first trial demonstrated how IoT can transform waste operations in high-footfall, unpredictable environments.
As the sensors can report the fill level of the bin, this will ensure that lifts are made when the container is nearing capacity rather than periodically, to avoid unnecessary collections, thus significantly reducing costs.
Northern · commenting on the Biffa, Northern and IoT Solutions Group smart bin trial
We know the importance of exploring innovative methods of tackling these challenges and are excited by the potential demonstrated through the activities we are undertaking with IoT Solutions Group.
BCP Council · Bournemouth · 52% waste management cost saving demonstrated
We work closely with councils, contractors and rail operators to solve waste management challenges. Whatever your level of knowledge around IoT and remote monitoring, our expert team is here to help.
