Sarah Thumb

Everything is good to make the city cleaner. The city of Liège has invested in state-of-the-art bins——the " Big Bellies ". These bins are smart, compact and solar powered. They are placed in duo, residual waste and PMC, in the center of Liège and also in Cointe .

Greater storage capacity and optimized collections

These bins have a storage capacity of 200 L. Much more space than in today's small bins. In addition, this storage capacity is further extended for residual waste due to a compressor system. A press reduces the mass of waste up to five times before the bin is emptied. This saves space but also saves time for the town's cleaners. They no longer have to spend every day emptying the trash. Indeed, the "Big Bellies" are connected and send an alert when it is time to drain them.

 " What is very good is that we can optimize the collection of the trash. Instead of passing, as for the moment three times a day, and well depending on the alarm system, we only go there when we know that 'it will be full. "said Tony Fernez , who is responsible for the cleanliness of the city center. From now on, there is no longer any question of seeing the bins overflowing with waste.

These baskets also make it possible to sort the rubbish between PMC and all-comers to a minimum. To help users, there are stickers that indicate what goes into each side. As for the deposits of bags at the foot of the trash cans, they should disappear thanks to the wider openings. There is also an ashtray compartment so that the cigarette ends no longer hang on the ground. The advantage of these structures is also that they are removable. Thus, the "Big Bellies" can be moved around the city during major events such as the Christmas Market or the Gallic Village.

Improving the cleanliness of public spaces is important for the City of Liège, but it still has a cost: 152,000 € has been invested in these pretty bins.

(Translated and edited from French by Xiaotong Wei)

Read the original story here.