By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
HIGH-tech garbage trucks that film and photograph the contents of rubbish bins are set to hit the streets on 1 October.
The “techno-garbos” run by Greater Dandenong’s new waste disposal contractor JJ Richards have a hopper-cam as well as cameras to the front and side.
On the cabin’s split-screen console, the driver can see through hopper-cam whether a bin is contaminated with the wrong rubbish.
The driver then can instantly record and send through the image, the bin’s address and time and date to the council to take action – as well as putting a notification sticker on the bin.
JJ Richards state contracts manager Shannon Smith said common bin contaminants include gas bottles, car parts and plastic bags in recycling bins.
The console, which includes a GPS guided route, will also tell the driver to bring out the bin for residents with special needs.
It will also instantly post complaints about missed bins that day.
The new trucks are colour-co-ordinated with bins rolled out next year.
Each bin will have a different coloured lid – green for garden waste, yellow for recyclables and red for landfill rubbish.
Mayor Angela Long has said the changes were expected to increase residents’ recyclable rates and reduce rubbish going to landfill.
