ERA in a Smart Bins for Smarter Waste Management project

The Environment and Resources Authority, is participating in an Interreg Europe project called WINPOL - Waste Management Intelligent Systems and Policies. This project aims to improve policies for waste management through the use of intelligent equipment and systems for waste disposal and collection. This will in turn contribute to waste minimisation through improved management procedures and awareness campaigns.

Current technology and innovation in the waste sector allow container-systems to provide information to waste collectors, at real-time, about various parameters including their remaining available capacity and temperature.

These Smart bins may be solarpowered and can even compact waste to allow for an increased amount of waste to be collected while eliminating odours.

Such ICT-based solutions can be used to analyse usage trends and identify critical groups of waste producers. Information from these bins will be used to improve national policies and increase the efficiency in which the way waste is managed for the public and waste managers.

The knowledge acquired from this project will help Malta achieve both national and EU waste targets, improve recyclable waste collection, reduce waste going to landfill and enhance the sustainability of the waste management sector.

WINPOL is led by EMULSA (Municipal Company of Urban Environment Services of Gijón) and involves a partnership of nine European waste management entities from different regions in Spain, Belgium, Greece (Crete), Slovenia, Romania and Malta.