New York City’s Times Square location is about to purchase and install thirty new solar powered recycling bins in an effort to boost recycling rates and descrease the amount of trash needing to be disposed of from this popular tourist location. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced that a pilot program would be started to install the innovative recycling bin and gauge their effectiveness.

The solar-powered recycling stations contain separate sections for garbage, aluminum, plastic, and glass cans bottles, and paper. Solar energy is used for compacting the trash, and as a result, the bins require less frequent collections and maintain a clearer and more sanitary appearance.

Times Square receives close to half a million visitors every day and is responsible for generating over fifteen thousand pounds of garbage daily that needs to be sent to landfills. The city’s goal is to have over one thousand new recycling bins on the streets before the end of 2013 in an effort to increase recycling and save the city money on expensive trash hauling services. Currently, the city’s recycling rate is a mere fifteen percent, but plans are in place to raise that number to thirty percent by 2017.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you manage a high traffic facility like a hospital, airport, shopping mall or amusement park, solar powered trash and recycling compactors might be a great piece of equipment to invest in. Visit the WasteCare website to learn how we can help you!