Waste Management to offer new solar powered trash compactor

Solar-powered trash receptacle to use renewable energy to save money and turn public spaces into clean eco-friendly zones

TORONTO - Waste Management today announced that it has entered into an agreement with BigBelly Solar under which Waste Management will provide WM Solar Powered Trash Compactors to its customers, including municipalities and high-traffic facilities. Waste Management has become the exclusive waste and environmental services company distributor of BigBelly solar compactor technology in North America.

"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."

WM Solar Powered Trash Compactors are completely self-powered, using built-in solar panels to compact trash. About the same size as a standard 35-gallon trash barrel, each compactor provides five times the capacity of a traditional trash receptacle. When the unit reaches capacity, sensors trigger an internal compactor that flattens the contents, converting 180 gallons of waste into easy-to-collect bags. A wireless system then signals that the unit is ready to be picked up. This cuts the need for trash pickup by up to 80 percent, which reduces collection costs, fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. The compactors also include receptacles for collecting plastic bottles, newspapers, glass and other recyclables.

"We're very excited to bring the benefits of on-site solar compaction to such a wide group of customers nationwide," said Richard Kennelly, vice president of marketing for BigBelly Solar. "These compactors are made from recycled materials, and even work in areas that don't receive direct sunlight."

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. "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 Ted Blowes, national chairman of the nonprofit Communities in Bloom. "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 solar powered trash compactors are currently being used successfully in hundreds of locations across Canada, the USA and in 15 other countries, including the Canadian cities of Calgary, Banff, Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver. The cost-savings can be substantial: the City of Philadelphia, for example, expects to save nearly $13 million over the next 10 years by replacing 700 litter baskets in Center City with 500 solar powered trash compactors and 210 companion recycling units.

Together with Waste Management's other sustainability goals, Waste Management is investing in new technologies to better manage waste, including in public spaces.