Stupid Solar Tricks: Solar Powered Trash Compactor

Being a Bostonian, I'm a little disappointed by the tone of this post. Yes compactors are not a good idea, however, the city has recently started a recycling program and has put out bins to collect bottles and cans. It's not the best program, but it's a start for a city that didn't have trash cans on the streets post 9/11 and during the Democratic National Convention. The bins are starting to show up in more and more parts of the downtown area (where I work). Additionally, these compactors are in a very limited number of places.

And your dig at the Big Dig tunnel collapse is entirely distasteful. An innocent woman died, and the city had nothing to do with that. Bechtel and the Turnpike Authority had been hiding things from the State for years, including lots of evidence that those panels were faulty. None of that is the fault of the city of Boston.

These are being tested in NYC. Its really not that unreasonable -- Its to reduce the litter in the street. Litter in the street==litter in the water. The trick is to get them to put recycling containers next to the trash bins.

These trash compactors allow workers to make less trips to empty trash bins, saving transportation energy. They also make the best use of garbage truck room, again serving transportation costs where >90% of the gasoline is burned to move the truck and not its cargo. While it would be wonderful for the city of Boston to put out many recycling cans, trash compacting is a good first step. The labor and energy cost savings from these trash compactors might even enable Boston to afford recycling (more).

I first saw this compactor in action at World Environment Day in San Francisco in 2005.

One of the biggest challenges in keeping a city or park clean is getting to the overflowing garbage cans before they turn into
this.

Especially when there are special events, the typical trash can is quickly overstuffed and overwhelmed.

One sort of societal transformation we need to keep exploring is to move from centralized energy production to distributed energy production -- energy produced exactly where it is needed without transmission losses and the high cost of running wire. The BigBelly trash can is, in my view, an excellent example of distributed energy production performing a useful task.

As a side note, in the case of the car, we need to go the other direction: stop producing (dirty) energy where it is needed and get it from our home solar panels or from the grid, which produces energy more efficiently than a typical internal combustion engine.

The manufacturer of the Big Belly Solar Trash Compactor is Seahorse Power.

-Andre'

I read somewhere (was it here?) that one of these compactors saves something like 14 garbage truck trips which has to be a good thing. The problem here, surely, is not that these things exist, but that they're not accompanied by recycling bins. I think they're a great idea: solar powered and cutting down on transportation emmissions. And I doubt that they were separating the trash from the regular bins.

--
editor note: Exactly. As a tool, these things do what they're supposed to do. It's just that they shouldn't be used to bury in landfills things that should be recycled.

You are completely missing the point... The primary purpose of these trash bins is to reduce the number of times they need to be emptied every day. Our City Ottawa Ontario, thats in Canada ,were we have trees to hug, recently purchased some of these units. On average a garbage can needs to be emptied 8 times a day in high trafic zones, the new "trash compactor" only needs to be cleaned once. That means 7 less trips with a big "FUEL" powered garbage truck, and the salary of the employes needed to drive said truck... to sum up my argument this can is not to throw out bottles and cans it is a garbage can. If your city does not have recycling bins that's another argument all together. Now shut your hippy mouth and educate yourself before you shit all over a great idea.

JonnyB: I can be wrong, and I may have been here, but that is no excuse for your insulting and rude language in the last line. I didn't think Canadians talked that way. I don't, even when I disagree with someone.

these could be seen as handy fuel pellets for plasma arc gasification systems

If Lloyd had done his homework before spouting off, he would have written "even though the trash is compacted, it is not a brick, it is as recyclable as the trash from every other trash can in exixtance." Shame on him for his dishonesty.

The main reason I am considering these at the Florida city where I work (and am the executive director of a Keep America Beautiful affiliate) is because of the reduced transportation costs for the workers emptying trash receptacles, pure and simple. We have far-flung parks where trash pickups can happen once or more per day. The possibility of sending a truck around every four days instead should appeal to anyone.

The other reasons I am considering a purchase is to use them as can crushers for recycling and to promote the idea of solar-powered ANYTHING.

Still looking into them, though, and I appreciate all the perspectives shared here.

--Dave

yo that thing is like cool and it was cool

I need a price on the solar powered trash receptacles

The bins cost about 4000 dollars

hi,
i'm designing a rubbish compactor for my final project in mechanical engineering...

can anyone help me in how to build one..as in a prototype?
TQ

Thank you Lloyd for writing this tidbit. Am I the only other person who think these things are outrageous?

It is important to consider the bigger picture variables. The trash compactor is not a viable solution. It is a greenwashing hunk of metal that makes you all feel good about your city. ew.

Multiple people above have praised this device for reducing labor input. That may be seen as a benefit - if you were the city accountant. Really It is just another machine that eliminates labor at a time when unemployment is high and times are hard. We could be creating jobs by installing recycling bins across the city.

The city may reduce "FUEL" costs. But I am skeptical. Especially early on in the transition from trash can to trash compactor fuel would not be saved. At least in Portland I can stand at the trash compactor and can see three other regular trash cans that will need to be emptied at the old faster rate. The truck is passing right by the compactor at the regular rate. The benefit would not be realized until all of the trash receptacles are replaced by the trash compactors. The more creative solution would be to find alternatives that are less or not at all dependent on fuel.

Also these trash compactors are just another way for city officials to isolate house-less persons. People find both food and returnable bottles in the trash. While some of you bougie persons may not do this yourselves, It is a practice for many of your fellow Portlanders.

Perhaps now an unemployed trash truck driver will loose their home and be on the street. She will be hungry - and in the past she would have found a half eaten sandwich left on top of the trash can. Now it is now smooshed inside the compactor. But aren't you happy because you won't have to see her digging in the trash for food and she can become even more invisible than she was before. Congrats.

All this, while you self styled environmentalists pat yourself on your back for using something with solar power. Shall I be the one to remind you that an aspect of sustainability is social responsibility? Why don't you all go buy something with Organic cotton and feel good about yourselves....