Orange County, CA - The Orange County Register:
Solar trash-masher debuts in O.C.
December 18, 2009 04:43 PM
Orange County’s first solar-powered, streetside trash compactor was installed on a Mission Viejo walkway Friday, as promised, and accepted its first bit of trash with little fanfare — and no noise.
The compactor, about the size of a 35-gallon trash can, will compact about 5 times that amount of material before it has to be emptied. Waste Management, which has deployed the compactors in Los Angeles, Oceanside, Philadelphia and other cities, plans to scatter them around Orange County as well.
Power is stored in a 12-volt battery, so it can compact even when the sun is not shining. A small solar panel covers the top of the can, and beside it is a twin receptacle without a compactor for recyclable material.“It pays for itself in two years,” said David Ross, director of public sector services for Waste Management of Orange County. “And you’re doing the right thing. It’s sustainable, and (its) life is indefinite.”
Cities can obtain grant and stimulus money to buy the devices. ...
The devices will likely be installed in parks, ballfields and around public buildings. Because they cut down on the number of collection trips needed to empty them, they can reduce equipment, labor and fuel costs, he said.
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Read the Article in The Orange County Register
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