DUBLIN: LOCAL AUTHORITIES could reduce the number of collections required for street litter bins by 80 per cent if they introduced solar-powered compacting units, claims the Irish agent for one such system - Big Belly Solar, writes  JOHN COLLINS

Trinity College Dublin has been convinced by the economic arguments of Kyron Energy and Power and has installed 10 of the bins on campus.

"Big Belly Solar is ideal for high volume, high traffic areas like a college campus, where you would have multiple emptying of bins in a day," says Ciaran Brennan, technical director of Kyron. 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 a result, it is in operation as far north as Nova Scotia in Canada. The motor applies 1,800lb of pressure when the bin is full, allowing it to hold five times its uncompacted volume.

Brennan claims operating the Big Belly is 67 per cent cheaper to operate for one year than a traditional bin, due to the savings in collections. The cost is approximately 3.5 per cent more, but he says Trinity will see a return on its investment in less than a year. Brennan laughs when asked if the Big Belly would be able to handle the abuse it would be expected to receive on a Saturday night in the Temple Bar district of Dublin.

The side panels are fabricated from the same material that is used in the rebound areas of ice hockey stadiums, while the solar panel is protected by a transparent composite protector which was tested to withstand an attack by a baseball bat.

"They are also bolted down - just in case anyone decides they would like one in their kitchen," says Brennan.