Getting paid for recycling with smart garbage bins
The Jiading Industrial Zone has piloted the implementation of intelligent garbage recycling bins, with an aim to recycle waste materials via paid recycling, providing convenience for local residents.
A blue recycling bin next to the waste disposal spot in the Qiuzhufang neighborhood of the zone has five discharge slots. It can be used to sort different types of recyclable materials: wood, plastic, metal, fabrics and cardboard boxes.
A blue recycling bin next to the garbage disposal spot in the Qiuzhufang neighborhood in the Jiading Industrial Zone.
The bin is also equipped with glass recycling containers and hazardous waste containers.
The intelligent recycling bin adopts a WeChat mini-program, and every time it is used for real-time settlement, it automatically calculates the price. But people can only withdraw when the total reaches 10 yuan (US$1.4) and above.
After scanning the QR code on the screen, different types of recycling options will be displayed. People can get a clear idea about the price of each waste: 10 cents per kilogram for wood, half yuan per kilogram for plastic, 60 cents per kilogram for metal, 30 cents per kilogram for fabrics, and half yuan per kilogram for paper.
“This recycling bin is open 24 hours a day, which is very convenient for us. And I have used it more than 10 times,” said a resident surnamed Zhang.
Recyclable waste won’t pile up at my house any more and I can get paid for recycling them, which is really good, she added.
A resident disposes of waste at the blue recycling bin.
Fan Shujian with the Jiading Industrial Zone garbage sorting office said that the operation and maintenance of these recycling bins is also intelligent — the bin is equipped with a sensor which checks whether it is overloaded.
Whenever the overload sign is on, the bin cannot be opened and a message will be sent immediately to the operation center, which then dispatches personnel to clean up.
