The City of Rehoboth Beach is spending $134,000 to bring solar-powered trash bins to the resort.
Eighteen Bigbelly solar-powered compacting containers have been placed along Baltimore and Wilmington Avenues, as well as on First Street and in Grove Park and Stockley Street Park.
Evan Miller is the projects coordinator with the City of Rehoboth.
He says the cans were purchased to handle the increasing amount of trash the City collects - especially during the summer tourist season, “So the importance of the Bigbelly solar-compacting trash cans is that they’re smart-technology that enables the City to collect more waste and do so more efficiently.”
Miller explains how that smart solar technology increases efficiency, “The new waste receptacles have solar panels built within the receptacles. And that solar panel powers a compactor. And a compactor essentially compacts the waste inside the containers allowing the containers to hold up to five times more refuse.”
Miller says the cans also provide real-time information on how much is in them and when they need to be emptied.
Miller notes City Manager Sharon Lynn suggested buying the cans after seeing them used in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she was previously town manager. Baltimore and Philadelpha also use these cans.
