Solar-powered rubbish bin to press the mess
June 29, 2007
Torbay Council in Devon is the first in the UK to test a new solar-powered bin that compacts waste as it's filled, allowing the bin to hold up to five times the amount of normal rubbish.
This would save the council the number of trips needed by vehicles to empty them, cutting emissions and saving costs.
The Council is launching the trial of the 'Bigbelly' litter-bin on Paignton seafront as part of its strategy to keeping the Bay clean.
The sun-powered trash compactor is also being trialed in countries including Canada and Australia.
Cabinet Member Councillor Jeanette Richards said: "If we are to fulfill our commitment to a clean Bay we must be able to think outside the box and be willing to try new ideas.
"The council has already planned a major clean up drive in Torbay this summer targeting street cleaning, graffiti, public toilets and litter and we hope that this latest trial will compliment the work whilst also helping the environment.
An LED indicator that flashes red, amber and green indicate the bin's capacity, and the BigBelly and also has ability to activate email and mobile texting in the future so it can send a message when the bin's full.
Jeanette Richards continued: "The solar powered bin has been well received in America but is relatively new to the UK so we are keen to get feedback from residents as to whether we should consider rolling them out in other prominent locations across the Bay."
The council is running a trial of the bin until mid-September.
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