Self-extinguishing Garbage Bins.

Be it a consequence of carelessly discarded cigerette ends, random arson, instances of nigh-miraculous confluxes of atmospheric influences, garbage bins in the streets seem to catch fire pretty often, with results that range from merely annoying to dangerous.

A possible solution? Self-extinguishing garbage bins. Actively self-extinguishing, not just the kind with a lid that supposedly cuts off the air supply and suffocates the fire, those only work in theory.

There could be a variety of self-extinguishing bins, ranging in price, fire fighting method and level of overkill. Not everyone needs or indeed wants the truly overengineered solutions, but it's nice to know they're available.

The basic model would have a container of water and a bi-metal-operated valve that releases water if the temperature exceeds a certain limit. But there could be other solutions:

A plastic container of compressed carbon dioxide (or some other inert gas). Heat softens the container enough for the gas to burst out and suffocate the flames.

A similar inert gas solution, but with the bi-metal valve.

A standard sprinkler and fire detector setup.

A multiple point IR detector that triangulates the position of the fire-starting body (hot ash, burning cigarette, flaming match), and a directional nozzle that extinguishes it with a stream of water before it can ignite the rest of the garbage.

A similar IR detector setup, monitoring the outside, with an outside-facing nozzle, to extinguish the heat source before it even reaches the bin, and a rubber mallet to hit the person trying to drop said item into the bin over the head.

Choose your model, and remember, only you can prevent dustbin fires.