Waste Management Offers New Solar Powered Trash Compactor

Solar-powered trash receptacles use renewable energy, save money

Having readily accessible waste and recycling recepticles encourages recycling and discourages littering. Unfortunately, cities facing budget shortfalls may not want have the resources necessary to regularly empty traditional garbage and recycling recepticles. As a result of such budget constraints, some municipal trash barrels overflow, and some cities are removing public recepticles.

Waste Management is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, innovation and using the latest technologies to help Americans better manage waste, including in public spaces. The company is marketing solar-powered trash compactors that reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and trash collection expenses, making it easier for municipalities to maintain public waste and recyclig recepticles. So it’s good for the environment – and the economy.

"Consumers report that convenience and accessibility of public trash and recycling receptacles are a major influence in encouraging them to dispose of waste properly and to recycle more," said Matt McKenna, president and CEO of national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, Inc. "Providing environmentally responsible options in public spaces can be a valuable tool for communities as they raise awareness of the importance of proper waste disposal."

The new Waste Management compactor is the same size as a standard 35-gallon trash barrel, but, thanks to patented solar-powered compression technology, these compactors can hold about five times as much trash. When a unit reaches capacity, sensors trigger an internal compactor that flattens the contents. A wireless system then signals that the can is ready to be picked up. Because they have five times greater capacity of a typical can, the compactor can reduce the number of collection trips by 80 percent. Fewer collections mean 80 percent savings in fuel, labor and maintenance costs, and a similar reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Waste Management will initially target municipal governments and high-traffic facilities interested in reducing the need for trash collection and keeping public spaces clean and litter free. "We know busy intersections, public parks, city streets, sporting events and other public spaces can be magnets for trash," said Dave Aardsma, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Waste Management. "Ordinary trash barrels can easily overflow and become eyesores. The Waste Management solar powered trash compactor can provide a number of solutions in those uses, by reducing waste collection frequency, lowering costs for our customers and ensuring a greener, cleaner environment."

The compactors also include receptacles for collecting plastic bottles, newspapers, glass and other recyclables.

Waste Management has installed 15 units at Patriot Place, a 1.3-million-square-foot retail, dining and event destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. "Our WM Solar Powered Compactors are an important piece of Patriot Place's overall sustainability and recycling initiatives," said Brian Earley, general manager of Patriot Place. "In addition to promoting recycling and reducing our waste volume and energy consumption, we have realized significant operational efficiencies and cost savings for waste removal."

In addition to Patriot Place, people can spot the new solar-powered trash compactors at other landmarks in other communities, including the Alamo in San Antonio, the Baltimore Inner Harbour, Millenium Park in Chicago, Fenway Park in Boston.

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