LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘Bin’ expensive technology and employ some staff

Apparently, those in Dinnington have not been sending solar signals to say that they need emptying (no, this is not a joke). I was there last week and I thought I heard muted cries, something like: “help, help; I’m so full”. I assumed it was bloated pigeons and magpies who’d over-indulged on discarded take-aways, but maybe not.

I’m impressed by these majestic bins; I even wrote a letter about them a few months ago. Then, I didn’t know what the solar panels were for; but all is revealed.

Imagine a team of council officers, in headphones, watching a huge electronic display, similar to that which monitors all the trains at Clapham Junction. Each bin is represented by a green light when its belly is empty, amber when it’s reached half full, flashing red when it is bulging.

The officer presses the appropriate button on the control panel. This sets an alarm going in the executive bin emptying department, thus “scrambling” the operatives into action. They leap into the refuse protection conveyance (van) and speed — with sirens blaring — to the scene.

However, even after all of that, the distended bins might not be relieved: some operatives don’t know how to empty them! Never fear; the council are doing “awareness training” to ensure that the staff “know how to operate the bins”. It’s all meticulously planned.

It wasn’t this complicated a process in my day, when council employees strolled the streets emptying bins when necessary. Perhaps that costs too much. If staff only have to go to full bins, there needn’t be as many of them. But, with 110 “bigbellies” planned — at £2,700 each — that £300,000ish would pay for several bin emptying teams and suitable kit.

Where would we be without technology?                  

Rob Slow