San Diego began rolling out new high-tech trash bins Monday. San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava said the passing of Measure B, and charging San Diegans for trash collection, made getting the new bins possible.
“This is the first on-the-ground step as we modernize collection, improve and increase city services and make sure we are using 21st-century methods to track our work and ensure we only collect from those that are qualified,” LaCava said.
The city says that three-quarters of trash cans currently in use are more than 20 years old, and the new cans have many features making collection safer and easier. 225,000 San Diego households are eligible for the new bins, according to the city.
Kirby Brady from the city's Environmental Services Department showed off some of the new bins. They have better signage, are easier to write your address on, and they have Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips hidden in the handle.
RFID chips will make it possible for trash trucks to scan and confirm the can is at the correct house.
Residents eligible for city trash collection can see when their new trash bin is scheduled to arrive at sandiego.gov/trash.
“Deliveries will happen on residents' regular trash collection days, and our crews will remove the old black containers that same day,” Brady said.
The old bins are not going to waste. Brady said they are being recycled into the new bins.
“Helping ensure that we close the loop on sustainability,” Brady said.
