Concerns have been raised about ‘smart’ bins installed in Oldham town centre following reports several ‘are jammed shut’ – leading to ‘piles of rubbish’ in the street.
The solar-powered containers, part of a £530,000 scheme to update bins across the borough are supposed to automatically notify council staff when they are full or in need of repair. But a councillor claims the bins have been out of service for two weeks, with blue waste bags tied to the handles instead.
Louie Hamblett, councillor for Crompton, said: “It makes the place look untidy and doesn’t help with the overall atmosphere in the town. We are already at a bit of a low point at the moment, and this will give people more of a reason to slag the council off.
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Blue bags of rubbish piled up next to the Mr Fill robotic bins in Oldham town centre. -Credit:Manchester Evening News
“It’s just a bad joke. People think this sort of thing is ridiculous. I mean robot bins in town centres? Just get the basics right, that would be a start. This is just such a waste of money at a time when we need every penny.”
There are 20 240 litre smart bins installed in the town centre. Two of the bins have been reported as non-functional, showing red displays and remaining clamped shut when people try to use the foot pedal.
One of the larger, automatic bins installed in Oldham town centre. -Credit:Manchester Evening News
Coun Chris Goodwin cabinet member for Don’t Trash Oldham, said: “We are aware there is a mechanical issue with a small number of sensor bins in the town centre.
“We are already working with the supplier to get the fault fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime our staff are out removing any extra waste as there are plenty of other bins in the town centre.”
The smart containers were installed alongside ‘bigger and newer’ bins across the borough as part of a government funded program. But the upgrade, which started in 2023, has seen a number of backlashes, including residents complaining of a reduction in the number of bins at dog-walking hotspot Dunwood Park and the large containers not being emptied frequently enough over the busy summer months.