Philly rolls out solar-powered trash compactors

[larrymeyer]

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_..._rss=WORLD_eng

Philly rolls out solar-powered trash compactors


Is it any surprise that a city known for its love of cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and cannolis would embrace a solar-powered trash compactor called a BigBelly?
In the largest rollout yet, Philadelphia has replaced 700 downtown trash bins with 500 of the high-tech compactors, which use solar energy to condense trash _ cutting down collection trips by 75 percent.

Facing a $1.4 billion, five-year budget deficit, the city estimates it will save $875,000 a year with the compactors, bought with state grant money. Cities from Vienna to Boston to Vancouver have tried the devices in smaller numbers, but Philadelphia put them along four collection routes in its heavily traveled downtown area.

Streets Commissioner Carmina Tolson said the compactors, the last of which was installed this month, usually need to be emptied five times a week _ as opposed to 19 times for a regular can. The change frees up 25 streets department employees, who are now filling vacancies on trucks that collect household recycling.

"We now can go all day," Tolson said of the 32-gallon compactors, which can hold 150 to 200 gallons of trash.

The devices are being piloted by governments and other entities in 40 states and 20 countries, but no other group is trying an approach as comprehensive as what Philadelphia is doing, said Richard Kennelly, vice president of marketing for BigBelly Solar, based in Needham, Massachusetts.

The BigBelly is powered by sun, but it does not need direct light, Kennelly said. When trash gets to the top of the bin, it breaks an electronic beam that triggers a motor that pushes it down. As trash gets more densely packed, the machine senses the resistance and changes a light out front from green to yellow.

In Philadelphia, the cans also have a wireless monitoring system that notifies the city when they're full. In addition, the city is introducing curbside recycling containers next to many of the compactors.

Boston first got the solar-powered compactors in 2006 and now has 160, using them everywhere from historic Faneuil Hall to Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

"Our problem with them right now is we don't have them concentrated, we've got them spread," said Dennis Royer, Boston's chief of public works and transportation, who estimates the compactors pay for themselves in 18 months.

Royer said he would love to replace more of his 1,595 trash cans with the BigBelly. The city has also gotten businesses to purchase 20 or 30 of the compactors, which cost from $3,195 to $3,995 apiece.

About 100 BigBelly compactors are being used by various entities in New York, including the Bronx Zoo. Chicago has 90. There are about 30 in Vancouver. Overseas, Vienna has 60 and they are also being used in parts of Australia, Israel and France.

But Philadelphia is the first to use them in such big numbers, along whole collection routes.

"They really moved forward on this, primarily because of the cost savings," Kennelly said of Philadelphia officials.

In a city once dubbed the nation's fattest, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter initially did a double-take when an aide told him about the devices.

"What? Who's got a big belly?" he recalled asking.

But when he saw how they could save money and when the city came up with grant money to purchase them, he said, he warmed quickly. The city tested three of them last year and began adding them by the hundreds this year.

[larrymeyer]

Let me see if I understand this the city needs to raise taxes the state needs to raise taxes. And these a$$ wipes say I have a great Idea lets put in Solar powered Trash Compactors. Yea they only cost $3,195 to $3,995 apiece and we brough 500 of them. For the City Councle man that can't add that $1,597,500 for the cheap one or $1,997,500 oh hell lets go for the better on at $3,995 you can't beat it.

Another Idea we can put them in government housing

[falcn]

Wait, you have problems with them saving money and doing this a little smarter?

They're cutting the need for resources, thus lowering the cost of maintaining the city.

[larrymeyer]

Wait, you have problems with them saving money and doing this a little smarter?

They're cutting the need for resources, thus lowering the cost of maintaining the city.

Read the story again their just shifting resources. There is no problem now so we'll shift the people who pick up the city trash to ride the trucks and pick up household trash. I'm sure there or other projects that could have put that money to better use. IE City Hall need repairers badly some of the original charters (land grants) from William Penn are falling apart due to water leaking into the basement.

[LorDiego01]

I saw these trash compactors the other day and thought they were just GREAT.
The older trash cans had a tendency to flip the bag out due to strong winds, and trash would get everywhere.

At $1,5mill it doesn't seem that bad, especially considering they'll save $800k annually on it. They'll pay for themselves in no time.

[Dredly]

For one... why the FUCK should MY taxes be given to FILTHY to pay for their trash cans?

Secondly these are going to be destroyed in no time, just wait for it. You can't give Philadelphia nice things... they will just ruin them.


third there is no cost savings occuring here people, as Larry just said all they are doing is shifting the cost from one item to another, instead of picking up the bags they are picking up household trash, which was already being picked up... no money saved.

Its the same concept that the president is using by claiming health care is "defecit neutral". Saving money on the cost of the health care will be redirected to covering the cost of all the people getting free health care and people being healthier will save money which can be then spent on health care, even though the money never would be spent.



A much more common scenario is someone getting out of paying for something and so they think that means they are up that much and thus spend that money, even though they never had it in the first place.



It doesn't work like that!

[CommonHighrise]

Secondly these are going to be destroyed in no time, just wait for it. You can't give Philadelphia nice things... they will just ruin them.

Yep.

third there is no cost savings occuring here people, as Larry just said all they are doing is shifting the cost from one item to another, instead of picking up the bags they are picking up household trash, which was already being picked up... no money saved.

Actually, there will be some savings, though I am skeptical it will add up to anything, let alone covering the added cost of the compactors, when you factor in things like maintenance and replacements.

Like the article said, they had to send trash trucks around 19 times a week to empty these bins. Now it's down to 5 times, thats a savings of 14 truck trips per week. Now, you'd have to get down to the nitty gritty of diesel fuel saved, and wear and tear on the vehicles.

Also, not sure how city trash collectors are paid, but I know if I got two guys working a route that takes 8 hours, I'd expect to see them do the same route in 6 with an extra man on hand.

Lots of nickels and dimes, and like I said, I doubt the savings will cover the added cost.

[falcn]

Read the story again their just shifting resources. There is no problem now so we'll shift the people who pick up the city trash to ride the trucks and pick up household trash. I'm sure there or other projects that could have put that money to better use. IE City Hall need repairers badly some of the original charters (land grants) from William Penn are falling apart due to water leaking into the basement.

Right, instead of hiring more people to pick up the household trash. Using the same amount of people to handle more work essentially - which is a good thing.

This is the kind of thing we should be encouraging - smarter ways to do things that utilize less tax payer money in the long run.

[Dredly]

Right, instead of hiring more people to pick up the household trash. Using the same amount of people to handle more work essentially - which is a good thing.

This is the kind of thing we should be encouraging - smarter ways to do things that utilize less tax payer money in the long run.

Does your trash not get picked up on time anyway? They are not saving money here folks, they are just shifting people around, if they were cutting 20 jobs then okay its savings, if they are moving 20 people to fill open positions that are preventing work form being done daily and they were hiring then that is savings... they aren't they are just not picking up daily trash at those places.

I'm also interested to know what the added costs are now. You can't use standard trash bags in these bin's, you need to use a much more expensive bag that will be able to handle the compacting.

There will also need to be replacements when these go bad, you know people are going to destroy them, hit by cars, shot to pieces, blown up and there will be defective units. as well... 4k per can to replace we aren't talking about 100.00 each like the current ones cost

I don't see the savings and no, I don't believe this is a valid use of PA state funds when it only helps filthy

[larrymeyer]

Right, instead of hiring more people to pick up the household trash. Using the same amount of people to handle more work essentially - which is a good thing.

This is the kind of thing we should be encouraging - smarter ways to do things that utilize less tax payer money in the long run.

I may agree with with you if Philadelphia wasn't yelling we need to raise taxes. We need to be able to up the wage tax on people who work in the city. We need more money from the state. Oh and by the way now instead of three men on a trash truck we're going to have four. I guess the foueth guy can sleep in the truck till the driver gets tired and they can then rotate. Has the household trash increased that much ??? I don't think so. As a matter of fact with people leaving the city it should be decreasing. Where are these new trash cans going ? And last but not lease facing a $1.4 billion, five-year budget deficit is it smart to spend almost $2m on theses. AS for cutting down on trips with trucks thats not what I see just sending the truck to pick up household trash and to pick up the other trash containers that haven't been replaced.