Yes, they do exist, and they’re becoming more common in smart-city waste systems. These urban trash bins use fill-level sensors—often ultrasonic or weight-based—to monitor how much waste is inside. When the bin reaches a set threshold, it sends a wireless alert through IoT networks such as LoRaWAN or NB-IoT to a maintenance dashboard or mobile app.
For crews, that means they can empty bins based on actual need instead of fixed routes. Cities use this to reduce overflow, avoid unnecessary pickups, and respond faster in busy areas like transit stops, parks, and commercial streets. Some well-known examples include connected bins from Bigbelly, Sensoneo, and Enevo, though many local vendors now offer similar systems.
There are practical limits, of course. Sensors need reliable connectivity and battery maintenance, and cities need to plan for upfront costs, vandalism, and data management. But overall, yes—smart trash bins can alert maintenance crews when they’re almost full, and they’re a useful tool for cleaner, more efficient urban waste collection.