Solar powered garbage means fewer trips to the landfill!

Six new recycling and garbage combination stations have been installed between Old Town Dock and Les Davis Pier, with one additional station installed at Park District Headquarters. 

The garbage can (trade name Big Belly) is a solar compacting unit with the ability through compaction to accommodate an estimated five times the quantity of garbage in a traditional garbage can. 

The Big Belly is attached to a recycling unit (trade name Smart Belly). Both cans have a sensor system inside that records capacity data and provides real-time station status and service alerts. This computer based management tool will provide tracking data and history for performance analysis aimed at increasing efficiency of operations. 

Staff is working in cooperation with Tacoma Refuse for the collection, weight measurement and contamination assessment of the garbage and recyclables for the duration of the pilot program. This collection data will help us analyze the feasibility of successfully managing recyclables in an open park setting. Additionally, we will be setting a base line of data and information about garbage and recyclable management and ultimately reducing garbage collection trips through the utilization of solar powered compacting units.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium also recently installed 31 combination garbage and recycling stations throughout the zoo. These stations are similar in appearance though they do not compact. They have the ability to combine these stations with a third unit for compostable food waste in the future.

Our goals for this program are to:

• Change behavior by encouraging recycling through compelling signage and convenience of combination garbage and recycling stations.
• Reduce Garbage collection trips through using a solar compacting garbage system.
• Reduce amounts going to the landfill through diversion of recyclables from the waste stream.