Last fall, Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere (Reform) said that new trash containers would be installed in the spring to replace the removed pole-mounted bins. So far, however, there has been no sign of these waste receptacles.

Still, Erkki Vaheoja, head of the urban environment maintenance branch of the Tallinn Environment and Public Works Department, confirmed that installation of new trash bins is set to begin in May.

"The Tallinn Environment and Public Works Department has signed a framework agreement for procuring and installing urban furniture, including trash bins. Installation of the new bins across the city is expected to begin soon — likely in May. We've collected information throughout 2024 and 2025 from district governments about the need for trash bins and other street furniture. Based on that input, the first bins were already installed in 2024," Vaheoja said.

He added that new procurement orders are currently being prepared.

"A large portion of the order involves the installation of trash bins. In determining their locations, we've taken into account user needs, principles of urban space design and the principles of circular economy and sustainable development."

According to Vaheoja, the city prefers bins that allow for waste sorting, and in green areas, these containers will be spaced farther apart to minimize potential disturbances such as odor or visual clutter for park visitors.

However, nine brand-new smart bins have already been installed throughout Tallinn. Deputy Mayor Margot Roose (Eesti 200) explained why the city spent a substantial sum on nine smart bins instead of first addressing the overall shortage of containers.

"The smart bins were purchased as part of the international, EU-funded circular economy project TREASoURcE. As part of that project, Tallinn is obligated to pilot sensor-based waste stream monitoring. This funding couldn't be used to purchase regular bins or test smart solutions in other areas," Roose said.

She emphasized that this type of solution helps reduce environmental pollution and the carbon footprint associated with garbage trucks.

"Smart bins allow real-time monitoring of fill levels, which reduces the frequency of emptying and thus the emissions from collection vehicles. They're a good fit for the pilot project's goal of testing data-driven circular economy solutions."

The nine smart trashcans were purchased with EU funding at a cost of €36,000 plus VAT.

"The total cost of the nine smart bins, excluding VAT, was €36,000 — or €43,920 including VAT. Of that, €30,000 was covered by the EU-funded TREASoURcE project. Since the project is specifically for testing smart bins, we wouldn't have been allowed to purchase regular bins or anything else with those funds," Roose said.

The high price of the smart bins is primarily due to their various components, including sensors, solar power systems and built-in compactors. Another factor is the limited competition in Estonia's market for smart waste bins.

"That said, a single smart bin can replace at least five standard bins of the same capacity," Roose added.

The new smart bins have already been installed at Stroomi, Pikakari and Pirita beaches, as well as near Freedom Square and the Viru Center. Additional bins have also been placed in municipalities such as Keila and Pärnu.

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