Considering almost all areas in the world use trash bins from where the garbage is collected, a solar trash compactor makes sense. Tampa city is planning to experiment with these on a trial basis.

The trash compactors are powered by a solar panel on top which recharges a 12 volt battery. Once the bin reaches its maximum capacity, an electric beam releases a ram which compacts the trash. This way, the bin can hold as much as 180 gallons of compacted trash.

Once the bin is full of compacted trash, it sends an email to the city workers relaying this news, so they can come and empty it. Because the compactors hold more trash, they require less servicing, and that means less carbon emissions from city trucks emptying bins.

If the whole of Tampa replaces old bins with the new ones, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100 tons annually. It would also save $200,000 a year. Currently Tampa is planning to lease the bins at a cost of $83,000 a year and then check whether it is worth buying them.

Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York in the US and Canada, Australia, Israel and France are already using these bins which cost $3,195 to $3,995 each, so they are not cheap. However, these bins are environmentally friendly, reduce costs in the long run and are less messy to use as well.

Via: Tampa Bay Online