The Bergen Municipality in Norway recently announced the opening of a new automated waste collection facility, which is now operational in the neighbourhoods of Marken, Nordre, Grønnevollen and Veversmauet.
Residents of these areas can now avail of the service, with the Bergen being system one of the largest and most advanced underground waste management facilities globally, according to project partners.
The system reportedly connects more than 30,000 households and was developed with sustainable urban development in mind.
The city has been challenged by the need for additional storage space for bins and containers in the old city centre, with waste trucks also experiencing accessibility issues in the narrow streets.
The recently-installed solution lessens the need for traditional containers and waste lorries and uses vacuum technology to transport waste through an underground pipe system to a central facility. Waste is then sorted into containers for further treatment.
BIR Infrastruktur AS, one of Norway’s largest waste management companies, and Envac Group, a specialist in automated waste collection, supported the project.
Envac has explained that the system eliminates intermediate waste storage in the streets, reducing fire hazards in the wooden part of the city and that the solution can process more than 50 tonnes of waste per week, with the possibility of expansion.
The automated system collects waste in four distinct categories: rest, paper, plastic and cardboard. This feature is intended to improve regional recycling rates.
“We are extremely proud to announce that we have extended our modern waste management system to connect with more neighbourhoods,” said Mattias Widell, managing director, Envac Norway.
“In a city like Bergen, where the city centre has vulnerable environments, we believe this will benefit the residents, the city, and the municipality. We are excited to continue collaborating with BIR and Bergen municipality to ensure efficient and effective waste management.”
This project was first launched in 2008, with Envac as the primary contractor, and has been conducted in two phases: green and blue.
The blue phase involved building a waste terminal in Jekteviken, while the green phase saw the construction of a new terminal at Nygårdstangen, which is now operational.
The first-ever Robotics & Automation Awards will recognise innovation in the use of automation for waste management through the Best Use of Robotics or Automation in Cleaning and Sanitation category. Interested in attending this unmissable event for the robotics and automation sectors? Book your table now!
