In the News
National League of Cities: 250-Station BigBelly Solar Deployment in Allentown PA
Nation’s Cities Weekly – Newsbriefs
Allentown, Pa., has unveiled the first of 250 BigBelly solar trash compactors being deployed in the city — 100 of which will be installed side-by-side with a recycling kiosk — that will help keep the city’s streets and neighborhoods clean and give residents and visitors more opportunities to recycle.
Mayor Ed Pawlowski demonstrates that recycling is now available for the first time downtown.
The single-stream recycling kiosks will accept glass, plastic and aluminum beverage containers and newsprint and other types of paper and will mark the first time Allentown pedestrians have the opportunity to recycle on the city’s sidewalks.
The majority of the combination units will be installed in the downtown where foot traffic is highest. Some units will be placed in city parks.
“Allentown already has effective residential and business recycling programs in place,” said Linda Emery of NLC Corporate Partner Waste Management, which is partnering with the city. “The sidewalk recyclers build on what’s already in place and give the community another way to conserve resources.”
Waste Management is purchasing and installing and will maintain the compactors and recycling kiosks. City crews will empty the receptacles into a split-body truck that will allow one crew to collect both waste and recyclables.
Effective community recycling efforts require a strong public commitment and education about the program, Emery said.
“That’s why Waste Management is proud to provide the City of Allentown with a $5,000 Keep America Beautiful grant,” she added. “The city will use this grant to explain its sidewalk recycling program to residents.”
Effective education about the compactors and recycling kiosks will increase the units’ use and the amount of waste and recyclables placed into them, and limit the amount of non-recyclable material, said Emery.
The BigBelly can compact approximately 180 gallons of trash into a 35 gallon collection bin. Litter receptacles that previously needed to be emptied five days a week will now only have to be emptied once a week. This will allow personnel to perform additional tasks, said Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste Manager Ann Saurman.
Read the National League of Cities article
