The city of Toronto is expected to further enhance the cleanliness of the city center by unveiling a plan to install new sidewalk trash cans. “The existing trash cans were left inefficient,” said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow at a press conference held in the last week of April.
“With the introduction of the newly designed trash cans, we can solve this problem.” The new trash can have a wider opening to make it easier to dispose of large items such as coffee cups and features reinforced hinges that close automatically. In addition, enhanced durability has been added to the frame and door to ensure long-term use.
The new trash cans introduced this time were pilot operated in some downtown areas from December to January last year, and Mayor Chow said the pilot project was successful. According to data confirmed through the pilot project, the new bins effectively contributed to reducing the inflow and stagnation of waste compared to the existing model.
Accordingly, the city plans to install more than 1,000 additional trash cans in high-density areas by the end of this year. In addition, the city plans to begin a pilot program within this year to install ‘trash can sensors’ in approximately 250 sidewalk trash cans.
This sensor detects the fullness of the bin and sends a signal when it is almost full. This is expected to play an important role in increasing waste collection efficiency and maintaining urban cleanliness. The City of Toronto conducts trash collection 20 hours a day, seven days a week, and collects more than 50,000 bins each week.
The city expects that the introduction of this new trash can will create a cleaner and more efficient urban environment.