Do Garbage Trucks Have Cameras? What You Need to Know

Josh Alston 17/12/2022 Waste Management
do garbage trucks have cameras

If you’ve been wondering why your local Garbo truck looks a bit different lately, you might be spotting some new tech on board. Across Australia, councils are kitting out their garbage trucks with smart cameras, and here’s what that means for your weekly bin collection.

What’s New with Our Garbage Trucks?

do rubbish trucks have cameras
3D cameras on the rubbish truck. (Image via Swinburne University of Technology)

Gone are the days when garbage trucks were just about picking up your bins. Now, these trucks are pretty clever pieces of machinery.

They’re fitted with cameras that can:

  • Take photos of your bins during collection
  • Keep an eye on what’s being chucked out
  • Spot any dodgy items in the wrong bins
  • Check out problems with local roads
  • Catch people doing the wrong thing with illegal dumping

Where’s This Happening?

do bin lorries have cameras - Prem Prakash Jayaraman camera test
Associate Professor Prem Prakash Jayaraman works with Dr Felip Marti Carrillo and Dr Yong-Bin Kang (left to right) to test the cameras. (Image via Swinburne University of Technology)

Shepparton’s Leading the Way

Up in Shepparton, the council’s brought in some flash new trucks that are making waves. These beauties snap photos of every wheelie bin they collect.

Why? Well, it helps them:

  • Make sure everyone’s doing the right thing with their rubbish
  • Sort out any dramas when someone reckons their bin wasn’t emptied
  • Spot who needs a bit of help getting their recycling right

Melbourne’s Gone High-Tech

Down in Melbourne, they’ve stepped things up. The Brimbank area’s got 13 trucks decked out with:

  • Fancy cameras that can see everything in 3D
  • GPS that knows exactly where the truck is
  • Special gear that can spot problems with roads and street signs
  • Tech that catches illegal dumping as it happens

Sydney’s Getting in on the Action

Sydney’s not missing out either. They’re testing out special cameras that:

  • Check what’s going into bins
  • Help stop people from putting the wrong stuff in their recycling
  • Make the whole rubbish collection system work better

What’s Good About All This?

For Your Street

  • Bins get collected properly
  • Less mess from overflowing bins
  • Quicker response when something goes wrong

For Your Council

  • They can sort out problems faster
  • Keep track of what’s happening with our rubbish
  • Make sure everyone’s doing their bit

For Our Environment

  • Less stuff goes to the wrong places
  • Better recycling outcomes
  • Helps keep our neighbourhoods clean

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re doing the right thing with your bins, you’ve got nothing to worry about. These cameras are here to help make our rubbish collection better, not to get anyone in strife.

They’re mainly about:

  • Make sure your bin gets emptied properly
  • Helping people understand what goes where
  • Keeping our streets clean and tidy

The bottom line? Our garbos are getting some pretty smart help to keep our streets clean and make sure everyone’s rubbish ends up where it should.

It’s all part of making waste collection work better for everyone. Want to know more about bin collections in your area?

Give your local council a bell – they’ll sort you out with all the info you need about what goes in which bin and when they’re collected.

Also Read: 7 Waste to Reduce Waste at School

Posted By

  • Josh Alston

    Josh is a reporter, editor and copywriter. Specialise in corporate writing, politics, innovation and stories that generate human interest and engagement.

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