Five New Solar Trash Compactors in Town

There are five new solar trash compactors in town.

The compactors came are part of the funding Arlington earned back in May when Governor Deval Patrick named 35 cities and towns, including Arlington, as official "Green Communities."

The status made Arlington eligible for $8.1 million in grants for local renewable power and energy efficiency projects. This extra funding will increase the number of green jobs and advance both municipal and state clean energy goals.

Earlier this week, Town Manager Brian Sullivan announced that the town received a grant and now there will also be these five new BigBelly Solar Compactors.

"I am very pleased that the town's hard work to earn designation as a Green Community has paid off," Town Manager Brian Sullivan said over the weekend. "These funds will leverage previously approved capital funds as we continually work to reduce town energy costs through both efficiency and innovation."

A solar compactor is self-powered and uses only solar power. They are the size of regular trash receptacles with a capacity five times greater, which reduces collection trips and can cut fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent.

The compactors were installed July 12 in the following locations:

• Mass Ave. at Park Ave.
• Menotomy Rocks Park – at the Jason Street Entrance
• Mass Ave. at Medford St.
• Mass Ave. – near Dag's Delicatessen
• Robbins Farm Park – on Eastern Ave.