Solar Powered Garbage Bins

Solar powered trash cans have been launched in Montréal. The “BigBelly” can hold up to five times the volume of regular bins, compacting the garbage throughout the day. Four of these great ideas will be installed in downtown Montréal, with plans to put them everywhere should the project prove a success.

Is it not already successful?

The city is further addressing its massive litter crisis with stricter attention, by-laws and fines for those who toss the trash where it does no good.

"Everyone will be subject to the rules, even tourists. Every tourist, every time they will register in any hotel in downtown Montreal, they will receive a document to teach them and make them aware about the new bylaw."

Currently the bins only compact the carnage of 'public' garbage. Perhaps such things could evolve into composting or regenerating the waste. Residual benefits to the bins have been noted in the The Queens Clean Air Project where "in settings such as parks, in which workers come to empty containers whenever they are full, truck trips could be significantly reduced, with an equivalent reduction in polluting emissions and fuel consumption."

A “BigBelly” is completely ‘autonomous’ and can be put anywhere. They will soon be installed at four Chicago beaches in an effort to keep beaches cleaner and reduce closings due to high bacteria levels. They’ve also appeared in Baltimore, Boston, NYC and Ventura, California.