Fieldmouse gives councils and venue operators real-time fill-level monitoring across their bin network — so collections happen when bins are full, not on a fixed schedule, eliminating overflow events and unnecessary truck runs.
The Challenge
Public bin collection is traditionally managed on fixed weekly or fortnightly schedules — completely disconnected from actual fill levels. The result is a system that's simultaneously over-servicing half-empty bins and under-servicing overflowing ones, wasting budget and generating community complaints at the same time.
Bins at high-traffic parks, event venues, and recreation areas can fill in hours during peak periods, while the same bins may sit half-empty for days during off-peak periods. Without visibility of fill levels, councils have no way to dynamically respond — and overflow events damage community reputation and create pest and hygiene risks.
The cost of inefficient waste collection — unnecessary truck runs, overtime labour during events, and complaints from the community — is significant and largely avoidable with the right monitoring in place.
"Fieldmouse proactively actions the asset — as opposed to just monitoring and providing alerts."
How Fieldmouse Helps
Ultrasonic fill-level sensors report bin status continuously to the Fieldmouse platform — so collections are dispatched based on actual need, not guesswork or fixed schedules.
Ultrasonic sensors mounted inside each bin continuously measure fill depth and report levels to the dashboard in real time. Operators see the current status of every bin across every site from a single view.
When a bin reaches a configurable fill threshold — say, 80% — an alert is sent automatically to the operations team. Bins that need urgent attention are flagged before overflow occurs.
Replace fixed collection schedules with dynamic routing based on actual fill levels. Dispatchers can see which bins are approaching capacity and prioritise accordingly — reducing total truck runs significantly.
Historical fill-rate data reveals which locations fill fastest, when peak usage occurs, and how demand varies by season or event type. Use this data to right-size bin capacity and plan future placement.
Configure higher-frequency monitoring windows for known high-attendance events. The platform flags bins approaching capacity faster than normal, giving operators early warning to dispatch additional resources.
Full timestamped records of fill levels, alert events, and collection confirmations. Generate reports demonstrating service levels met, overflow incidents avoided, and route efficiency improvements achieved.
Capability
A full breakdown of the Fieldmouse bin monitoring capability set — from real-time fill sensing through to demand-based scheduling and compliance reporting.
| Capability | Monitor | Control | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fill Level Monitoring | |||
| Real-Time Fill Level (ultrasonic) | |||
| Fill Threshold Alert (configurable %) | |||
| Fill Rate Trend (rate of change) | |||
| Operations & Scheduling | |||
| Collection Priority Queue | |||
| Event-Period Monitoring Frequency | |||
| Multi-Site Fleet View | |||
| Reporting & Analytics | |||
| Historical Fill Level Data | |||
| Usage Pattern & Peak Analysis | |||
| Collection Event Log & CSV Export | |||
Key Outcomes
Indicative results based on typical deployments. Your results will vary by site count, bin density, and collection frequency.
Demand-based scheduling eliminates unnecessary runs to bins that don't need emptying — reducing fleet kilometres, fuel costs, and labour hours across the network.
Threshold alerts ensure the operations team is notified before any bin reaches capacity — so overflow events, pest attraction, and hygiene complaints are avoided entirely.
Full fill-level and collection records available on demand for council reporting, contract compliance, and community transparency purposes.
Fieldmouse Devices
Bin monitoring deployments use the Scout with ultrasonic sensing to measure fill levels and transmit data continuously to the platform.
Whether you manage five sites or five hundred bins, Fieldmouse scales to fit. Get in touch to discuss your setup and we'll show you how it works.
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