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Date: 28 April 2026
Belfast City Council is modernising its street cleansing operations by rolling out high-tech SMART compactor bins across major city centre thoroughfares, following a successful pilot at City Hall.
The initiative will see 20 traditional litter bins removed and replaced with 13 advanced SMART compactor units. This includes three dedicated recycling SMART bins, significantly enhancing on-street recycling capabilities.
The expansion focuses on high-footfall areas to ensure the city centre remains clean and welcoming for residents and visitors:
- Donegall Place: 14 standard bins replaced.
- Donegall Square North: four standard bins replaced.
- Royal Avenue: two standard bins replaced.
The rollout also includes a new SMART installation on High Street, situated outside Centra.
The SMART bins utilise solar-powered compaction technology, allowing them to hold up to five times the volume of a standard bin. Internal sensors monitor fullness levels in real-time, notifying cleansing teams exactly when a collection is required.
Data from the initial City Hall pilot demonstrated this technology can reduce collection frequency by over 80%. By eliminating unnecessary vehicle trips to half-empty bins, the council is reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption while allowing street cleansing crews to focus on other priority tasks, such as power washing and manual litter picking.
The fully enclosed design of the compactor units also provides a solution to urban cleansing challenges like wind-blown litter and birds or pests accessing waste.
This expansion is part of a wider, city-wide litter bin infrastructure review. Alongside the SMART technology rollout, the council is currently undertaking a comprehensive condition survey of all 3,000+ bins across the city to inform a long-term replacement and maintenance programme.
Councillor Fred Cobain, Chair of the People and Communities Committee, said: “We are committed to using innovative technology to provide a cleaner, more sustainable city.
“The data from our trial at City Hall was clear, SMART bins allow us to work more efficiently, respond faster to full bins and keep our most iconic streets tidy, even during peak periods.
“By replacing ageing infrastructure with these compactors, we are ensuring Belfast remains a clean and attractive place to live, work, and visit.”
Visit our street cleaning pages for more information on how we keep Belfast clean and tidy.