Automated Waste Collection in Australia

A recent government initiative on the Sunshine Coast to install high-tech pneumatic underground waste collection is underway, with large tubes under vacuum used to suck waste to a central collection facility. Named the "Automated Waste Collection System" or AWCS, it is fully sealed to minimise odours, and reduce the need for garbage collection services that can be disruptive to neighbourhoods. 

The system functions by having a series of inlets for separated waste groups in each building within the CBD, in addition to a number of public bins located, which are then connected to the AWCS pipe network. Each pipe is 400mm in diameter, with pipe thickness ranging from 6mm to 60mm, depending on the location and the strength of the vacuum inside. Bends in the tree-like layout are minimised, and reinforced with thicker material to cope with the abrasive nature of usage. To minimise the cost of installation, the pipe network is being fitted around the existing services pits for water, sewerage, and electricity. 

The network is connected to a central collection station, on the outskirts of the CBD. A series of large three phase motors power fans for creating the vacuum, with advanced filters to clean the air before it is released. Four container bins in the station are used to collect the different types of waste, which can then be transfered via crane to trucks to be disposed of off-site. 

The network also allows for easy future expansion, with plans for the pipes to be extended outside the main CBD, and the capability for the system to be upgraded as demands change over time. Once completed, the Maroochydore City Centre will be one of the first places in Australia to have an automated waste collection system, and hopefully will help pave the way for other cities to also retrofit similar waste solutions.