This IoT success story for smart cities showcases how Madrid City Council has implemented smart bins equipped with IoT fill-level sensors to improve street cleaning and urban waste management. The solution, developed by Celestia TST in partnership with Sulo, a company specialising in urban furniture and waste management, is based on the deployment of connected volumetric sensors that optimise collection routes, anticipate issues and move towards a more efficient and sustainable city.
Project Overview: IoT in Action
Starting in 2021, Madrid City Council installed IoT volumetric fill-level sensors in bins across 325 locations in the capital, using LPWAN Sigfox (0G network) technology to transmit real-time data to the platform. The goal was to optimise waste collection and street cleaning routes, while also monitoring the availability of bags for dog waste disposal.
The project forms part of the council’s strategy to embrace technology, digitalisation and sustainability in urban services within its smart city model. Of the 66,334 bins in the city at that time, 12,000 (around 18%) were fitted with fill-level sensors designed, tested and certified by Celestia TST in just eight months.
The Challenge: Data-Driven Street Cleaning
Madrid needed to improve the efficiency of cleaning services, avoiding both overflowing bins and unnecessary collections. Traditional management, based on fixed routes and visual checks, made it difficult to adapt services to real demand in each area due to the lack of real-time data.
In addition, the council sought a scalable, low-energy solution that could integrate with its monitoring systems, aligned with smart city initiatives and intelligent urban waste management.
The IoT Solution by Celestia TST and Sulo
Celestia TST, in collaboration with Sulo, deployed an IoT solution based on volumetric sensors connected via the Sigfox 0G network and integrated into urban bins. Each IoT device uses infrared laser technology to measure the distance to the waste level and also monitors the internal temperature of the bin.
The system automatically generates alerts when the fill level reaches 80% capacity or when the temperature exceeds 70°C, notifying the service platform to prioritise collection and detect potential risks such as fires. Additionally, the sensors send periodic updates with up to 16 readings per day on fill level and battery status, enabling both collection planning and preventive maintenance of the smart bin network.
Impact on Urban Management and Smart Cities
Thanks to real-time data on fill levels and temperature from IoT sensors, the council can design dynamic collection routes, focusing on bins that truly need attention and reducing unnecessary trips. This translates into improved operational efficiency, cost savings, lower environmental impact and a more consistent service for citizens.
At the same time, the solution enhances safety and responsiveness to incidents, laying the foundations for a smarter city model where decisions are driven by objective data collected by IoT sensors distributed across the territory. This success story is a replicable example of how IoT applied to street cleaning contributes to the digital transformation of smart cities.
FAQs
Una papelera inteligente con IoT es un elemento de mobiliario urbano equipado con sensores volumétricos que permiten conocer en todo momento el nivel de llenado de las papeleras y optimizar los servicios de mantenimiento y gestión de residuos, anticiparse a incidencias y avanzar hacia una ciudad más eficiente y sostenible.
Soluciones IoT optimizan rutas de recogida, reduciendo viajes innecesario hasta un 80% en costes operativos según benchmarks sectoriales. Esto elimina desbordamientos y mejora la eficiencia municipal?
Menos desplazamientos logísticos bajan emisiones, con ahorros típicos del 25-30% en municipios equipados con sensores IoT. Contribuye a ciudades más sostenibles sin comprometer el servicio.
Yes. The IoT architecture used in this project is both scalable and replicable. It can be extended to more bins and containers in Madrid or implemented in other cities looking to enhance their smart waste management and connected urban services.
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