Trinity College Installs Ireland’s First Self-powered Compacting Waste Bins

Posted on: 04 December 2008

Trinity College Dublin has installed the country’s first BigBelly solar compacting bins on campus. The BigBelly Solar Compactor is a patented compacting waste bin that is completely self-powered.  Instead of requiring an electrical connection, BigBelly uses solar power for 100% of its energy needs.  The unit takes up as much space as the “footprint” of an ordinary street side bin – but its capacity is five times greater. 

Increased capacity reduces collection trips and can cut fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80%.  BigBelly also provides cost efficiencies from labour savings, fuel cost and maintenance savings, as well as environmental benefits from reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.  The BigBelly Solar Compactors are safe, easy to use and designed to keep out pests, rodents and eliminate issues that open bins have.

“The installation of ten of these environmentally friendly bins on campus is another example of Trinity’s being leaders in waste management. Last year, the College reached it 50% recycling target, recycling half of the total waste produced on its main campus. The College now leads the way in Ireland’s third level sector in relation to recycling,” stated Mr Noel McCann, Facilities Officer at Trinity College.

Big Belly Solar Compactor on TCD campus

“Being a busy city centre campus with 15,500 students and hundreds of visitors and tourists every day, the BigBelly solar compacting bins will further help to maintain our beautiful campus”, Noel McCann added.

“The unit has a 12V rechargeable battery which runs the compactors motor and only requires four hours of daylight to stay in operation for 28 days. As BigBelly gets 100% of its energy from solar sources, it can be powered by street lamps too,” explained Tommy Brennan, Director, Kyron Energy & Power, the company who is the Irish agent for BigBelly.