Over 216 bins and a cleaner, greener city

Southampton City Council is showing how smart waste technology can do more than keep streets tidy; it can support cleaner air, smarter operations, and more vibrant public spaces.

Backed by a commitment to sustainability and innovation, the Council has now deployed 216 stations, our largest deployment in the UK, and we hope it will keep growing.

Why Bigbelly?

For a coastal city like Southampton, keeping streets and parks clean while reducing environmental impact was a key challenge. The Council wanted to enhance the look and feel of the city centre while cutting down on overflowing bins, litter, and unnecessary vehicle trips.

And that’s where we came in. Solar-powered, sensor-enabled, and built to hold up to 8x more waste than standard bins. Our enclosed units prevent wind-blown litter, deter those pesky pests, and send real-time fill level alerts to collection crews. It’s a system that doesn’t just manage waste, it makes operations more efficient and sustainable.

Councillor Steve Leggett summed it up perfectly:

“This is more efficient, saves time, keeps our streets cleaner and reduces pollution, which endangers wildlife.”

Smarter Streets, Cleaner City

With Bigbelly in place, Southampton has seen some incredible results:

• 9,000 fewer bin collections every month
• 80% reduction in vehicles assigned to litter collection
• 800% increase in peak litter capacity (yep you read that right, 800%!!)

The city’s 7.5-ton hybrid refuse vehicles now service these bins with fewer trips – cutting emissions and fuel use while freeing up operatives for other essential street cleansing duties like fly-tipping response, graffiti removal, and horticultural work in parks.

Designed to Engage

But these bins aren’t just smart, they’re also part of Southampton’s push to reimagine public space. Each unit features bright anti-litter campaign artwork, encouraging residents to “Love Southampton” and keep the city clean. And thanks to built-in display panels, the units also open up new advertising revenue streams, a valuable asset for local authorities looking to do more with less.

A Green City Vision

This deployment forms part of Southampton’s Green City Plan, an ambitious roadmap to become a carbon-neutral council by 2030. As Councillor Christopher Hammond, put it:

“Installing these new solar bins is just one part of the Green City Plan. They allow us to collect five times more rubbish, alert us digitally when they’re full, and support a more sustainable future for our city.

The Future is Bright (and Green) for Southampton

With over 216 units already deployed and measurable success across key KPIs, Southampton is showing what’s possible when tech meets purpose. From the coast to the city centre, Bigbelly is helping crews work smarter, residents enjoy cleaner streets, and the Council move one step closer to a greener, more resilient city.

At Future Street, we’re proud to support local authorities like Southampton City Council in delivering smarter, cleaner, and more community-friendly public spaces.

Want to see what Bigbelly could do for your city?

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