Get ready for revolutionary recycling, Malta! As a strategy against unsightly overflowing, around 800 intelligent recycling bins will be installed across the country in the coming months.

Recycling cooperative GreenPak and Vodafone unveiled the first set of these iBins in Pembroke this morning, giving the public a taste of how they will work.

The iBins are installed with smart technology which transmits data indicating their capacity levels over Vodafone’s new Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network. The data is then fed into an app, which people can install for free to check which recycling bins are closest to them and how full up those bins are. This data will also be used by GreenPak to find out which of its bins need to be emptied, leading to increased efficiency.

“By providing the community with a reliable 24/7 service, households no longer need to wait until the designated day to take out their rubbish,” GreenPak CEO Mario Schembri said. “Our initiative is one of the first public service projects that uses the Internet Of Things on this scale in Malta and will take our waste management to another level. This is the way forward for a better Malta.”

Vodafone Malta CEO Sonia Hernandez said her company pounced on the opportunity to use its breakthrough IoT technology for environmental protection.

“Vodafone is fully committed to enabling the transformation of waste management to further encourage people to recycle with confidence,” she said. “Enabling positive social outcomes is integral to what we do and is at the heart of Vodafone’s purpose: connecting Malta for a better future.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat gets a glimpse of the new iBins

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hailed the initiative as one that places citizens at the heart of the solution to Malta’s waste management challenges.

“The alternative of continued inaction is no longer an option, and represents an immediate challenge to the prosperity of our country,” Muscat said. “This is a legacy we have inherited, and it is a state of affairs we are now seeking to put an end to.”

“By involving society and the private sector, through the deployment of latest innovations in waste-disposal, the government is seeking to bring about a cultural shift in how the Maltese deal with their waste.”

The Prime Minister, who has pledged to turn Malta into a hub for Internet of Things companies, described the scheme as a perfect example of how IoT can provide simple answers to previously intractable everyday issues.

“Emerging technologies have the potential to revolutionise our life and our world, if we are brave and courageous enough to be open to the possibilities,” he said.

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]