Waste Management, Collier County to pilot solar trash compactors at beaches

If you have visited a Collier County beach over the past week or two, you might have seen new solar-powered trash compactors.

By holding 180 gallons worth of waste, five times as much as a standard trash receptacle, WM solar-powered trash compactors can prevent unsightly litter in public places, as the fully enclosed units keep waste in and animals out.

Collection crews are automatically notified via smartphone application when the bin is full, so there are no overflowing bins. Waste collection trips can be reduced by as much as 80 percent, which reduces equipment, fuel and staffing costs.

– Stephanie Kissinger, Waste Management