A stock image of rubbish.

Athlone set to get new solar powered compacting bins

Athlone-Moate Municipal District is set to get five new solar-powered bins which compact waste and send out messages to indicate when they are full.

At a recent meeting of the Westmeath Environment SPC John Jackson, environmental awareness officer, revealed that an allocation of €35,000 will be used for the new bins.

He told the meeting that the council gets regular requests from the public for solar bins which compact waste and send out messages when they are full. If they work well the initiative can be progressed, he explained to the SPC meeting.

There has also been a lot of public interest in litter picker boards which are going to be provided, complete with litter pickers and bags, at five locations around the county at a cost of €2,268.

Initially, the boards will be provided at the entrance to the greenways in Mullingar and Athlone and subsequently at lakes and other public amenities.