The City of Sydney is trialling a new underground communal rubbish chute
system designed to prevent illegal dumping and unhygienic spills in Darlinghurst.
Aiming to provide a better waste experience for Darlinghurst residents,
the new system installed in Royston Street replaces an unsightly, cluttered bin
bay with new recycling and waste chutes linked to an underground storage
system.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore explained that the new underground waste concept
offered a space-saving solution for high density living areas, helping to improve amenity and accessibility for local residents while reducing clutter
and beautifying inner city streets in a practical way.
According to the Lord Mayor, residents in this small street previously battled
with an overcrowded bin bay that attracted dumped rubbish from non-residents
and quickly became an eyesore. Underground waste systems have been implemented in
other cities around the world and are proven to be an effective means of
managing waste in high density areas with limited bin space.
To remove the collected garbage, City of Sydney staff will use hydraulic
lifts to raise the bins onto the roadway for emptying, also enabling quieter
and more efficient collections.
Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein, a resident of Royston Street for seven years
said she was delighted with the current appearance of the street. Being a little
cul-de-sac, it had developed into a garbage dump over the years.
Around 22 standard-size 240-litre wheelie bins in Royston Street have
now been replaced with large 1,100-litre underground bins. Three bins are
available for general waste and two for recycling, with an option to change the
mix depending on the amount of rubbish and recycling required. Designated
recycling and general waste will drop into the underground bins for collection
by City of Sydney staff.
