Port Jeff Installs Solar Trash Compactors

Port Jefferson is the first in Suffolk County to install Big Belly Solar trash compactors, some of the most advanced garbage cans in the country. These “green” machines currently appear in over 40 states and 20 countries, but Port Jefferson is the first town in Suffolk County to give these machines a try. The waste receptacles utilize solar power to run an internal compactor, enabling them to hold up to five times more garbage than a traditional can.

The devices were purchased from a company known as Big Belly Solar. A representative of Big Belly Solar claims these units can lower the cost of garbage removal by “up to 80 percent.” This reduction in cost is a result of the self sustaining garbage compaction that these machines are capable of, resulting in less need for post pick-up compacting along with other associated savings.

Each of the devices is equipped with WiFi that enables it to communicate with town waste management employees by sending a text message when it has reached capacity. This also allows waste management teams to view various trends in different garbage recepticles, helping the town design a new collection service that is designed around average waste traffic updates provided by this system.

Steve Gallagher, Superintendent of the Port Jefferson Department of Public Works, said implementing these garbage cans in town will be cheaper and greener than the traditional alternative.

“This system will allow us to optimize collection efforts; saving time, money and fuel by eliminating daily trash collections,” he said.

Despite the claims of long term cost savings, the machines themselves are quite costly. Each “Big Belly” compactor sets Port Jefferson back around $5,500. The village purchased 20 units in total.

According to Mayor Margot Garant, the village will see a big savings by eliminating doubletime pay for workers emptying trash on Sundays and this is where much of the money to pay for the compactors will come from.

The Port Jefferson Business Improvement District also promised a $5,000 per year contribution over the next five year for the trash compactors, according to its website. The investment of $25,000 translates to the cost of purchasing four and a half units.

Another benefit is that village workers may be freed up to address other issues that previously suffered. In Philadelphia, the largest city where these units are currently installed, it has allowed city workers to focus on other maintenance areas. According to Michael Lambert, Philadelphia’s Director of Transportation and Infrastructure, the installation of “Big Belly” garbage cans has allowed city workers to focus on things like pothole repairs, foliage trimming, and playground repairs.

Cost savings is not the only perceived benefit of the “Big Belly.” Solar powered trash compaction is a “green” way to perform a task that would normally require the use of fossil fuel or electricity derived from fossil fuel. The result is less dependency on a resource that creates pollution, and is also currently undergoing a rapid increase in price.

Each unit is similar in size and appearance to a USPS sidewalk mailbox. The side of each unit can potentially house advertisements, which could be a future revenue producer for Port Jefferson. Currently, these spaces contain information about the new machines.

Correction: An eariler version of this article stated that the “Big Belly” compactor sets cost $3,200 each. The actual cost is $5,500 each. This change is reflected in the article.