NEW high-tech bins which tell rubbish collectors when they need to be emptied are being tested out in a busy shopping street.

Five solar-powered “Big Belly" bins are being installed in Middle Street, in Consett and tried out over the next four weeks.

The bins are fitted with a compaction unit, which crushes rubbish down and reduces the need for them to be emptied by up to eight times compared to conventional street bins.

This in turn means council staff can spend less time emptying bins and more time keeping the town tidy.

Steven Craig, Durham County Council’s Clean and Green manager (North), said: “These high-tech bins have the potential to save the council money in the long-term as the compactor units mean they need to be emptied far less often than other bins.

“We hope the Big Belly Bins will be a hit with residents and visitors to Consett thanks to their attractive design and anti-tamper system.

“These bins are also cleaner and capable of holding much more rubbish than standard bins.

“The trial will help us find out what benefits the bins could bring in terms of improving cleanliness as well as the potential of lowering our costs and carbon footprint by cutting the number of bin collections we make.”

Shoppers in Consett will be surveyed to see what they think of the new bins and assess the impact they have had on the general cleanliness of the area.