Brasov to replace every garbage bin with a ‘Smart’ recycling alternative

The project is set to cost the city around 6 million euros and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills

Last week, the Romanian city of Brasov announced they want to purchase 275 smart eco-islands to digitalise waste collection. The city already operates 74 of the so-called eco-islands and wants to replace all other waste collection points through the Romanian Plan for National Recovery and Resilience.

According to a statement by the city, the purchase will cost around 6 million euros or 30 million lei. However, by installing the new waste collection system, the city’s garbage routes could become more efficient from a collection perspective, while authorities expect to help increase the amounts of trash that gets recycled.

One of the major features of the eco-islands is that they will require people to use an access card to put their trash in, while the system would record the person and the type of trash deposited.

The containers will be both underground and above ground, depending on their location,
Source: City of Brasov

How can a recycling bin be smart?

The eco-islands in Brasov represent large structures, that combine bins for all types of waste, plastic, metal cardboard and paper, organic and residual waste. This means that there is only one point that citizens will have to visit when disposing of waste.

However, the true innovation in terms of efficiency comes through the eco-islands’ digital components. Apart from protecting the bin from vandalism, it also has a mobile connection that can contact the relevant authorities for collection, as the whole system reports on the volume of waste and the types.

Furthermore, citizens will have to use a special access card to open the containers and throw out their trash. The system, on the other hand, would take into account what the trash is and its size.

Additionally, having waste disposal so streamlined should help to reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills. The eco-islands, regardless of whether they are installed underground or above ground, will have four openings, blue for paper and cardboard, yellow for metal and plastic, green for glass and black for general waste.

Mayor Allen Coliban was quoted in a press statement by the city explaining that Brasov is one of the first Romanian municipalities to apply for funding through the Recovery and Resilience Plan. This, he pointed out, was because local authorities were ready to make big and ambitious leaps in sustainability.