Community News

Solar-powered receptacles installed throughout Baldwin

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Nassau County and Sanitation District 2 worked together to purchase and install eight Bigbelly solar-powered trash receptacles throughout the district, six of them in Baldwin. The receptacles, which were installed on Aug. 22, provide an efficient way to keep the district’s streets clean.

“Sani 2 and the county are ahead of the curve with these new Bigbelly garbage bins,” said County Legislator Laura Curran. “They use energy-efficient technology to save money and reduce litter.”

The receptacles are equipped with sensors that alert district officials with emails when they are full and need to be emptied. They can hold up to five times more waste than regular trash cans, and their contents cannot escape, because they are enclosed.

The district holds numerous special events throughout the year, including the Big Sweep, Document Shredding Day and Shed the Meds. Commissioner John Cools said that the new receptacles would enhance the cleanup process in busy, highly populated areas like Grand Avenue.

“It’s definitely going to be a benefit for the community,” Cools said. “There will be much less garbage overflow up and down Grand Avenue.”

Bigbelly was founded in 2003, and has become globally recognized as an industry leader in creating more efficient ways to manage waste collection. Curran got the idea to invest in the solar-powered trash cans from Rita Cavanagh, the leader of the Baldwin Civic Association’s Beautification Committee.

“I visited Philadelphia a couple summers ago and saw the solar compactor trash cans all over the city, and I’m always looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly,” Cavanagh recalled. “It has been a good two years, but it was worth the wait. Plus, I was only expecting to get one compactor, so of course I’m very pleased that Legislator Curran was able to score more.”

Cavanagh added that Patchogue has taken the initiative to restore the community by using the trash receptacles. “As far as I know, the only other town on Long Island I have seen using them is Patchogue,” she said. “Mayor Paul Pontieri … is hailed as being very successful in revitalizing Patchogue, so I feel there is hope for Baldwin becoming better than ever, too.”

Sustainability is the path that Sani 2, the civic association and Curran are hoping to follow as new environmental methods are brought to the table. Cavanagh said she dreams of converting the hamlet’s traffic lights to solar power, and noted that the Baldwin Community Garden will continue to serve as a place to promote a sustainable lifestyle.

“The Baldwin Community Garden is where we strive to use sustainable methods by repurposing items [that would normally go into the landfills],” she said. “We keep as organic as possible by not using chemicals, pesticides and also collecting rainwater. “Banning plastic bags and Styrofoam are also on my wish list for our hamlet. All these little steps can help us do our part to reduce our carbon footprint.”