Citizens & Community Group
Memo
Date: Friday 28 May 2021
From: Andrew Rutledge, Head of Parks
To:
Mayor and Councillors
Community Boards and Governance Managers
Smart bins being installed across our parks
The purpose of this memo is to let you know that this week the Council has begun widespread
installation of ‘smart’ bins in community parks around Christchurch as we move to reduce maintenance
costs in the city’s public spaces.
Summary 1. We have been trialling smart bins in the Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park, Akaroa and other popular
parks and attractions around the city and Banks Peninsula for the last four years and they have
proven a very successful and cost-effective way of managing waste.
2. As part of the Council’s efforts to keep costs down for ratepayers, we are now rolling out this
programme and instal ing smart bins across out network of community parks. The switch to these
smart bins will save ratepayers $300,000 a year because they need emptying less frequently than the
old-style rubbish bins. The Council has banked the savings year on year to help keep annual rates
increases down. We are spending $830,000 on installing the new smart bins, but with the annual
savings of $300,000 they will pay for themselves in three years.
3. Smart bins have a larger capacity and sensor technology which provides the Council’s maintenance
contractor with daily data on how full each bin is. The data means the contractor only needs to send
crews out to empty the bins when required, saving time and money.
4. The smart bins are also more secure than traditional open top rubbish bins, which means that it is
unlikely that rubbish will get disturbed by scavenging birds and rodents or blown around in strong
winds. This should result in fewer litter complaints.
5. Community parks with high levels of usage, such as those used for sport and open spaces such as
beach fronts are being prioritised for the smart bins.
6. Not all of the 840 old-style bins that we are taking out of parks will be replaced with a smart bin. The
majority of customer service requests we receive relate to litter dumping, most of which occurs when
people place rubbish beside bins, assuming they will be picked up. In parks and areas where we don’t
have bins, or have very few such as in Regional parks, these sorts of issues are minor. For that reason,
in low-use neighbourhood parks we wil be removing litter bins entirely and instead encouraging
people to take any rubbish home with them to dispose of in their red wheelie bin as part of our
kerbside collection service. People real y bought into this approach during the COVID-19 lockdown.
7. Just as people enjoying the great outdoors are encouraged by the Department of Conservation to
carry out their rubbish in order to protect the environment, we want residents to help us keep our
parks tidy by taking their rubbish home with them.
8. The roll-out of the new smart bins is expected to be completed in August.
Regards,
Andrew Rutledge
Head of Parks
