By Kim Siebert MacPhail
As Bedford continues its efforts to reduce and recycle at a municipal level, the town is also making efforts to help its citizens do the same. To that end, the Facilities Department and Department of Public Works installed three Big Belly solar trash compactors at town sites in October: Sabourin Football Field at the high school, Fawn Lake at the trail entrance, and Carlisle Road at the boat landing. In addition to the compactors, the DPW also held its second Paper Shredding Day on October 13 with great success.
Facilities Director Richard Jones reports that the solar trash compactors were part of the grant award that Bedford received from the state when it became a Green Community. The other part of the award—perhaps more impressive—was a check for $148,150 that is now being used for projects that will reduce the town’s energy use.
Nonetheless, the compactors do make a difference to a municipality: they cut down on the level of littering and they lower staff and fuel costs— not to mention fuel emissions–because they need to be emptied less often. Big Belly Solar’s website provides these statistics:
“Waste generation remains a growth business, making waste and recycling collection more expensive and more time-consuming each year. In the US alone, municipalities generate 250 MM tons of solid waste per year. With municipalities expecting an aggregate $83B budget shortfall by 2012, innovation is required.” [See: https://bigbellysolar.com/overview/savingtime/ ]
An article published last June in Time magazine states that “there are 15,000 Big Belly Solar waste & recycling stations deployed around the world, and they’ve already started to transform the industry.” The compactors do not require direct sunlight to operate.
As for Paper Shredding Day, Bedford’s newly hired Recycling Coordinator Gretchen Carey says that the DPW plans to provide the service once a year and to hold similar events for other items and materials, such as electronics. Carey reports thatthis October about 80 residents participated, creating a relatively steady stream of people for the three hours the service was in operation. DPW workers were on hand to greet residents, to assist them with boxes and bags of paper, and to shred the material while residents watched.
“Many residents expressed their appreciation for this free service. They also enjoyed a community event on a sunny day— as well as the cider and donuts,” said Carey.
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