Sagunto Rolls Out 1,634 Smart Waste Containers with One Collection Point Every 150 Metres
By late August, Sagunto residents will find a complete set of recycling bins every 150 metres, with sensors that automatically adjust collection schedules based on fill levels.
The upgrade is already visible on Sagunto's streets: more than two thirds of the 1,634 new containers are in place. Once the final installations wrap up in August, the city will have reorganised its entire waste system into roughly 350 «battery» clusters positioned 150 metres apart. Every cluster brings together all five fractions — packaging, paper, food waste, glass and general waste — at a single drop-off point, so residents no longer have to search for separate bins.
The key innovation is sensor technology: each container transmits real-time fill data to the municipal waste company SAG, enabling route optimisation and preventing overflow. Standard capacity is 3,000 litres per unit; organic waste bins hold 2,000 litres. The pedal-free side-loading design also improves accessibility and road visibility.
The contract was awarded to Contenur, a Spanish municipal container manufacturer based in Getafe (Madrid). Total cost: €1,880,646 — of which the city council covers €916,968, Next Generation EU funds (the EU's €750 billion green and digital recovery programme) contribute €189,497, and Saggas, the local gas regasification plant, provides €774,181. Retired containers will be recycled, according to El Periódico de Aquí.