Cans feature trash compactors powered by a solar panel
By Shaun Hall, Rogue Valley Times
Downtown Ashland’s new curbside trash cans feature eye-catching designs, trash compactors inside and a solar panel on top to power things.
They also come with a bit of sticker shock, at $4,783 each. These are not your common galvanized trash cans available for $36.99 down at Ashland General Hardware.
“In line with our city’s commitment to enhancing tourism and maintaining clean public spaces, we’ve introduced a transformative upgrade to our waste and recycling infrastructure,” Dorinda Cottle, city spokeswoman, wrote in an emailed reply to a request for comment. “The new trash cans combine functionality with artistic beauty, offering solutions to common urban challenges such as overflowing bins, litter and pest control.”
The exterior of the cans display photographs of local scenes captured by Bob Palermini, a retired professional photographer, and Jesse Smith, a senior accounting analyst for the city. The cans may be opened by using a foot pedal or handle. And they come with a five-year warranty.
“Most of these new cans boast solar compacting technology, enabling them to maximize capacity and minimize overflow between scheduled pickups by Recology Associates,” Cottle wrote.
Eleven of the heavy-duty, cubic containers have been placed at downtown locations with a history of overflowing trash and high foot traffic, according to The Ashland Chronicle, which reported their arrival last week.
The city is funding the $60,000 pilot project by using lodging tax revenue.
“As we assess the success of this initiative, we’ll evaluate its impact before considering further deployment,” Cottle stated.
A team will reconvene in the fall to evaluate how things went this summer. The pilot project was OK’d by Ashland City Council as part of its budget process for its 2023-2025 budget.
Relatedly, Cottle said the city expects to hang flower baskets and plant new landscaping in beds this spring and summer as part of downtown beautification efforts.
Reach Rogue Valley Times outdoors and environmental reporter Shaun Hall at 458-225-7179 or shall@rv-times.com. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
