Construction work in the town centre of Zwettl in Lower Austria represented an opportunity to transform it into a meeting area. This included the public furnishings. Stainless steel litter bins, e-bike charging stations and drinking fountains lend uniformity to the cityscape, while waste disposal is optimised with modern systems.

The idea came from a road construction project: after extensive excavation work to lay new drinking water and sewerage pipes, people in Zwettl were no longer happy with the appearance of the main road. It has a representative character as the main street through the centre of this Lower Austrian municipality. This is where visitors receive their first impression of the town, where everyday life takes place. After large sections of the surface were destroyed by the construction work, the decision was made to carry out a general overhaul of the road in 2021. At the same time, the area was designed as a pedestrian zone, including new public furnishing. “This included not only park benches, but also waste disposal, e-charging stations for bicycles and drinking fountains,” explained Hannes Meisner from the Zwettl Municipal Building Department. The choice of Littershark products was primarily for design reasons: the stainless steel look of the bins was very appealing. The same manufacturer was chosen for the e-charging stations and drinking fountains to ensure a consistent look throughout the city centre.

The choice of Littershark products was primarily for design reasons: the stainless steel look of the bins was very appealing.

The initial ten Littersharks, each with a capacity of 110 litres, were ordered with a hook-in waste bag option. But they switched to inner containers to make emptying even easier for the disposal company. “This makes waste collection very straightforward and saves on plastic waste bags,” enthused Hannes Meisner, highlighting the benefits of the system.

With the distinctive slot design, household waste is no longer thrown into public bins. Because the Littersharks are closed, unlike simple hang-in litter bins, rain cannot get in and in summer insects cannot easily find their way to the litter. The robust stainless steel construction also protects the new litter bins from vandalism. Moreover, all Littersharks are equipped with an ash container that can hold a large amount of ash and cigarettes (up to 12 litres).