Update on rollout of solar compactor bins across district

A new cutting edge waste management device is entering the tender process as the Westmeath County Council look to employ them in five areas.

The status of the programme was raised at the September meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, when Cllr Alfie Devine asked the executive for an update on how the programme for the compactor bins is going and whether it would be rolled out to Castlepollard and Collinstown.

Solar compactor bins are widely deployed across Ireland by local councils and businesses to increase street bin capacity. They use energy from the sun to run a built-in electric motor and a heavy-duty press that crushes rubbish, increasing bin capacity up to eight times.

When litter is disposed of in the bin, it falls into an enclosed inner collection container, and a waste compaction plate is activated when the waste inside reaches a certain level.

The District Office has advised that the high tech bins will operate in five Westmeath areas: Raharney, Fore, Finea, Coole, and Multyfarnham.

The local authority reply stated: “These are based on the Clár 2025 locations. Westmeath County Council are currently seeking suppliers through a tender process for the compactors and appropriate local tourism advertisements will be placed on the bins.”