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West Palm Beach adds solar-powered trash cans

Posted at 6:32 PM, Apr 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-21 18:32:42-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Collecting trash, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Right now the city of West Palm Beach is making the job cleaner and greener.

West Palm Beach Assistant City Administrator Scott Kelly said the city is installing twenty-six solar compactors. “These are going to be installed along Clematis Street, Tamarind Avenue as well as along the waterfront.”

Each compactor holds more trash than a traditional trash can and sends an alert to the city when its full; eliminating the need to drive around and manually check trash cans.

“It's going to save fuel, it’s going to save man power, which also equates to saving cost,” Kelly explained.

The twenty-six solar compactors cost the city $19,000. Money the city said they'll make up using the tech savvy trash bins.

Anita Sapienza is visiting from New York and spotted the new compactors this morning. “Honestly what caught our eyes are the colors. And there's no flies or nasty smells.”

Sapienza said she's sold on the high tech trash bins and wants to see her hometown follow West Palm Beach's example.

“Probably in downtown Buffalo where there's more walking going on, but in the city on the waterfront this would be ideal,” Sapienza detailed.