Lincoln: Solar-powered bins to cut wind-blown litter in city centre

One of the new bins

A council has invested £13,000 in six new solar-powered bins in Lincoln city centre.

Sited in the High Street and Cornhill, they can hold eight times more rubbish than ordinary bins.

Each fully enclosed bin has a sensor-triggered compactor which activates when waste reaches a certain level.

Councillor Bob Bushell said there would be "no visible waste and no windblown litter, keeping our city's High Street clean and presentable".

A hatch is opened to put rubbish into a bin and waste cannot be removed unless a member of staff empties the container.

Mr Bushell added: "We understand that traditional bins can fill quickly, especially during busy periods, which can create issues with litter."

The compacting continues until the rubbish reaches a predetermined level, at which point an alert is sent out to inform the council the bin needs emptying.

The information saves workers' time and cuts down the number of visits, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A council spokesperson confirmed to the BBC the total cost of the six bins would be £13,000 over 18 months.