Caledon mulls garbage bins with sensors on parks, trails, green spaces

Thestar.com
April 25, 2022

Parks, trails and public green spaces have seen a dramatic rise in use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And with more people using the spaces, there has been an increase in waste, said Nick deBoer.

The local councillor wants to see if waste bins with sensors could help keep the areas cleaner.

deBoer asked town staff to look into a program being tested in Vaughan.

In that city’s parks, sensors have been installed in waste bins that measure the level of waste within each one. The information is automatically sent to a data management system, identifying the level of waste.

The idea is that an automated system would help staff know when bins need to be emptied and may be more efficient, reducing overall transportation, collection costs and help keep the community green, he said.

Council directed staff on April 19 to investigate the program and report back on the feasibility of implementing something similar in Caledon.