The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) is moving towards becoming a smart campus, to achieve this, the university has invested in SMART Bins, which are envisaged to increase recycling efficiency, control waste management, protect the environment, and eliminate overflowing bins that ultimately cause unpleasant odours. The SMART Bin project evolved from the CUT Smart Campus initiative, and the need to manage waste and reduce carbon footprint.

Prof. Herman Vermaak, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology explained that the Smart bins are an intelligent waste management system, equipped with sensors to detect the fill-level of the bin and sort out waste according to their categories. The sensors in the bins use solar power which triggers at a pre-set level, enabling them to hold a great deal of waste to avoid overflowing. The fill levels will be communicated via an APP to the control room who will then collect the waste. 

According to Dr Gary Paul, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Resources and Operations, the university has already attracted recycling partners who believe in the Smart bin project. “We have had meetings with the office of the Premier recently, and they have expressed interest in partnering with us as part of their Smart City endeavours. This is also part of our Smart Campus activities in addition to the solar panels we already have. As CUT, we acknowledge the responsibility to protect the environment and, in the process, we want to be active participants in the Circular Economy. There is a lot of behavioural changes that need to take place in order to match the technological enhancement and advancement, but as we engage with our students and get them involved, we will achieve our goal. The project has been running for a period of five weeks now, and the bins will be distributed all over campus.”

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Smart bins for smart campus: CUT has invested in SMART Bins to protect the environment. The bins are envisaged to increase recycling efficiency and eliminate overflowing bins that ultimately cause unpleasant odours. The bins will sort out waste into recycling categories by recognising different types of waste via sensors. Charged by solar energy, the bins will send out a signal to the control room via App when they are full.