• Recalling unauthorised bins
• Reporting flytipping and graffiti
• Dealing with lost bins
• Responding to contamination
• Implementing side-waste policies
• Auditing assisted collections

Waste Collector Live! Data Collection Example

Waste Collector is used by local authorities throughout the UK to drive a wide variety of service improvements. This small selection of examples demonstrates the power and flexibility of Waste Collector Live!

Recalling Unauthorised Bins

Unauthorised 'extra' bins are a major cost to Councils, both for the disposal of the extra waste collected and for the rapidly rising cost of the bins themselves.

One authority found that crews were aware of many 'extra' bins but lacked an effective means of reporting them. Waste Collector Live! provided the answer and enabled the Council to electronically receive reports of households presenting two bins, and even households with an extra bin on the premises.

As a result a significant number of 'illegal bins' were retrieved and the number of enquiries for new bins has fallen by 30%.

Reporting Flytipping and Graffiti

Waste collection crews are an excellent source of information about activities on the streets. Waste Collector Live! enabled one UK council to utilise this knowledge to improve the environmental standards in the area by giving crews a simple and efficient way to report graffiti. The driver simply taps the screen to report an issue requiring a Street Scene visit and the system does the rest - sending a message with an accurate GPS position to the Street Scene department.

Reports now contain very precise location information and allow Street Scene to respond to graffiti, fly-tipping and other environmental problems much more quickly, often before any reports are received from members of the public.

Dealing with Lost Bins

For some Authorities, losing bins into the compactor is a common occurence and a significant administrative issue. By providing a simple reporting function and linking the event to a workflow in the Council CRM system, Waste Collector Live! and Waste Collector Link! removed all manual administration from the process.

Crews now simply tap the screen to record the loss of the bin. Within seconds the CRM system is aware of the loss and has automatically triggered the standard workflow to deliver a new bin to the premises. As a result the new bin can be delivered quickly, often before the householder is even aware that it was lost.

The process has also been extended to deal with damaged bins, allowing the correct spare parts to be issued (for example, a replacement axle) so that a field-repair can take place and prevent further damage and unnecessary replacement of the bin.

Responding to Contamination

Contamination of recyclate is a serious concern and many UK Councils have implemented 'stickering' policies whereby contaminated bins are left unemptied with a sticker explaining why.

Unfortunately, this information is usually not transferred to the Council call centre quickly enough to allow them to deal with enquiries. The result is frustrated householders and damage to overall recycling performance.

Waste Collector Live! passes the contamination data back to the depot and on the CRM system virtually instantly. This allows a standardised and simple workflow to send leaflets and recycling information to the household, turning the overall experience into a positive one.

Tamworth Borough Council have taken the concept a step further and now pass the contamination information directly to recycling wardens operating on the streets of the borough. Wardens are now able to respond to contamination in minutes and visit the premises to offer advice and assistance.

Implementing Side-Waste Policies

As collection and disposal costs rise, UK councils are increasingly enforcing new and existing policies on raised lids ('crocodiles') and side waste. However, such policies often lead to increased enquiries from householders and in extreme cases may require enforcement action.

Waste Collector Live! provides a detailed audit trail of exceptions at household level. Reporting on the previous side-waste and raised-lid events at a premises is very simple and allows waste managers to act consistently and appropriately in implementing Council policies.

Auditing Assisted Collections

Assisted collections can account for up to 10% of the collections on a daily round. Assisted collections are a vital service to the elderly and disabled but do significantly slow down collection rates. It is therefore essential that the service is not abused.

Waste collection crews are very well placed to recognise when an assisted collection may no longer be valid. For example, a property with no waste for a period or showing a SOLD sign may no longer be occupied by the owner originally entitled to the assisted collection.

Crews can capture this information by simply tapping the in-vehicle screen. This flags the premises as requiring the assist to be audited.

Waste Collector Link! transfers this information to the council CRM system, instantly triggering a standard workflow to assess the assisted collection. The CRM system will already have much of the information required to do this - for example 'change of occupier' notices from Electoral Roll or Council Tax systems. The process of confirming or revokin the assisted collection is therefore significantly streamlined.