TAIYUAN, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Garbage bins on street in north China's Shanxi Province have been given additional functions. They are safe and clean to sit on and can recharge your cell phone with solar power.
In the provincial capital of Taiyuan, some 500 of of new bins with trash classification containers have been put near bus stops.
Environmental workers love the bins because it is easy to extract the garbage.
City authorities said that more will be put on streets, upgraded with better functions such as ultraviolet light disinfection, free WiFi and screens with electronic street maps.
Bins are the latest way of demonstrating China's innovative talent. In Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, there are garbage bins with sensors for opening and voice messages.
In Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, public garbage bins have QR codes for users to get credit rewards after they throw garbage in line with recycling requirements.
The price of a smart garbage bin can go from 3,000 yuan (450 U.S. dollars) to 100,000 yuan.
A smart garbage bin with solar-powered LED screen and WiFi transmitter, which appeared on streets of southwest China's city of Chengdu, has been exported to Europe.
