Blacktown Arts mourns the loss of Uncle Greg Simms, a proud Elder of the Gundungurra (Water Dragon / Lizard People) of the Blue Mountains and the Gadigal (Whale People) of the Dharug Nation. More info

Smart Bins

Blacktown Arts and Blacktown City Council have installed 17 new vibrant bins throughout the Blacktown LGA featuring artworks by Aunty Edna Watson, Uncle Danny Eastwood and Jamie Eastwood, Karen Maber, Patrice Wills and more. 

Several new smart waste bins have been installed throughout Blacktown City local government area in order to aesthetically enrich the location and neighbourhood amenity. Each smart bin has been wrapped using artists designs. Through an online platform, these smart waste bins are capable of monitoring waste levels to optimise waste collection schedules.

The project is fully funded by Council’s Civil Maintenance section. The artistic process for selecting the art works, designs, approvals and artist licensing agreements, are managed by the Arts and Cultural Development section, Blacktown Arts.

Key features of the smart bins include:

  • can compact 6x more rubbish than a regular 240L bin
  • technology allows for alerts to notify staff if the bins are full, faulty or have hazardous items inside eg glass, cigarettes etc
  • bins require less servicing
  • each bin features a different artists artwork around Blacktown LGA
  • powered by solar.

This project has provided Blacktown with upgraded and modern waste bins to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the waste management system. Smart littering can reduce the number of overflowing bins and litter, and reduce the frequency of collection and transportation, ultimately leading to cost savings for the council. The use of solar energy as a power source reduces the carbon footprint of the waste management system and supports the council’s efforts to transition to renewable energy sources. Overall, the ‘Smart Bins’ project is a significant step towards a more innovative and sustainable waste management system in Blacktown.


This project is presented by Blacktown Arts and Blacktown City Council and supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Image Credits:

Hero image: Tags of Beauty, 2022 by Dot Matrix Design. Photography by Rosalind Stanley

I’m an Artist

I’m an Artist

Blacktown Arts supports artists through annual opportunities across prizes, exhibitions, funding opportunities, and studio spaces for local creatives.

Learn MoreI’m an Artist
Blacktown City Art Prize

Blacktown City Art Prize

Blacktown City’s annual acquisitive art prize open to artists across Australia, with a prize pool of over $23,500.

Learn MoreBlacktown City Art Prize

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