Shedding New Light on Trash: BigBelly Solar Trash Compactors

Along with a host of other cities in North America, Mission Viejo is looking at trash in a whole new “light.” The southern California city is testing two solar-powered trash compactors at its Civic Center.

BigBelly Solar, formerly known as Seahorse Power Company, along with Huston-based Waste Management, are working together to provide solar-powered trash compactors to customers, municipalities and high-traffic facilities. The collaborative effort between the two companies was announced in June, 2009.

Touted as the “world’s first and only solar-powered cordless trash compaction system,” BigBelly’s sleek design easily blends in with the surrounding environment. Made from recycled materials, the patented, self-powered system uses built-in solar panels to compact the trash. Solar power is used for 100 percent of the compactor’s needs. The panels, located on top of the compactor, can store energy in a recyclable battery, enabling the device to work despite inclement weather conditions or lack of sunlight.

When the container is full, sensors trigger the compactor, flattening the 180 gallons of trash into easy-to-manage bags. The green light on the compactor turns from green to yellow and a signal is then transmitted wirelessly, letting the collectors know the unit is full and ready to be picked up. Each compactor, about the size of a 35-gallon trash barrel, also has a receptacles area for recyclable materials including newspaper, glass, bottles and plastic.

The project is expected to cut trash pickups from street containers by an estimated 80 percent, reducing fuel and labor costs, noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The solar compactors also help reduce pesky rodents and birds that go through trash. Boston has more than 150 BigBelly units, Bergen County Zoo, Portland Zoo and Patriot Place has several kiosks in place.

Waste Management is the exclusive distributor of BigBelly compactors in North America.