Racine, WI - The Journal Times:
Racine Parks dept. to buy two trash compactors for beach
October 20, 2009 09:35 PM
The director of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department wants two solar-powered trash compactors for North Beach.
Director Donnie Snow's request to use $4,000 in extra department funds to buy the compactors was unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday night.
Snow said the department had leftover funds in a few project accounts, such as for baseball diamond bleachers, exterior painting and floor tiles, and needed the council's approval to use the surplus funds for the compactors.
The 32-gallon BigBelly Solar trash compactors can hold up to five times as much waste than standard trash receptacles, Snow said. The two would be strategically placed - by the oasis and the playground - and replace some of the existing blue barrels and wire baskets in currently in the beach area.
"Ultimately it'd be nice to replace them all, but we're going to only start with two," he said.
It will help keep the beach area clean, he said, because animals and birds can't get inside and spill garbage all over. He expected to have the compactors for next summer.
If the compactors worked well, Snow said they could expand to other parks, resources permitting.