Electric bins installed in Oldham town centre have malfunctioned, leaving rubbish spilling onto pavements after their mechanical flaps stopped working.

The recently-purchased sensor-activated bins are failing to open, creating mounting piles of waste in the town centre as people cannot dispose of their rubbish properly.

Liberal Democrat councillor Louie Hamblett, who represents Crompton Ward, condemned the council’s decision to purchase the high-tech bins. “I have no idea why the council have gone for these electric bins. What’s wrong with a normal bin? Why did the council feel the need to spend money on a bin that can break down?” Hamblett questioned.

The councillor described the situation as “just a bad joke” and criticized the expenditure during financially challenging times. “People think this sort of thing is ridiculous. I mean robot bins in town centres? Just get the basics right, that would be a start. This is just such a waste of money at a time when we need every penny,” Hamblett added.

Councillor Chris Goodwin, Cabinet Member for Don’t Trash Oldham, acknowledged the problem and stated that officials are working to resolve it quickly. “We are aware there is a mechanical issue with a small number of sensor bins in the town centre. We are already working with the supplier to get the fault fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime our staff are out removing any extra waste as there are plenty of other bins in the town centre,” Goodwin said.

---

Source: Read original article