A UK company claims to have developed a rubbish bin that can contain the blast of a sizeable bomb.
Aigis, based in Derby, says its BlastShield has a number of features to help it absorb a blast big enough to blow up a car. These include a double-layer, five centimetre thick tubular body and flaps designed to let rubbish in but not to let the explosion escape.
People standing right next to the bin during a blast would not even be subjected to dangerous noise levels, the company says.
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鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 feel comfortable standing next to one,鈥� admits David Christian, of Aigis. 鈥淏ut I would feel safe.鈥�
Public dustbins were banned from underground and mainline stations in and around London, UK in 1991, after a bomb in Victoria Station killed one person and injured 40.
BlastShields could make ideal replacements, Aigis says.
Shock absorber
The bin鈥檚 tubular body consists of an outer layer of tough, glass-reinforced plastic, with an inner layer of a proprietary material called TABRE.
This is essentially a porous and permeable resin-bonded stone-like substance, he says. 鈥淭he porosity and permeability allow the shock wave to enter the material and break it down,鈥� Christian says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very good at absorbing blast energy as well as slowing fragments down.鈥�
On its own, this hardened casing would simply act like a gun barrel, forcing the blast upwards. But a dome lid containing water and air is designed to prevent this.
When the shock wave penetrates the lid, the water is converted into steam, absorbing all the energy.
Limited size
The biggest problem in designing the bin was accounting for openings through which litter would be placed, says Christian. 鈥淎 lot of the engineering has gone into designing flaps to make sure you don鈥檛 have an exit route for the blast,鈥� he says.
The size of these openings can also help to limit the size of any planted bomb, says Christian. He refuses to comment on the size and type of bombs used during testing for fear of terrorists simply using bigger bombs.
So far there are no definite plans to introduce the bins onto public transport, but Christian says the company has had discussions with UK government representatives.
Although Aigis will not reveal how much these bombproof bins will cost, Christian admits they would be expensive. 鈥淚n comparison to any other bin the cost would make you fall off your stool,鈥� he said.
But the costs of not having adequate refuse collection at stations, of employing more station cleaners and the inconvenience to the public, should also be taken into account, he says.