Mayor Landrieu Announces Plan to Install Solar-Powered Trash Compactors for French Quarter and DDD
NEW ORLEANS – April 7, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the Department and Sanitation today unveiled a plan to install BigBelly solar-powered trash compactors in the French Quarter, Downtown Development District (DDD), and other high-profile locations throughout the city. The trash compactors will significantly reduce the frequency of trash collection, reduce overflows of litter, and secure trash containers.
“We are constantly exploring new, more efficient ways to improve City services and keep our streets and neighborhoods clean,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “These solar-powered compactors will ensure cleaner streets in high-traffic areas throughout the city, particularly in the French Quarter and Downtown Development District. It’s just the latest example of how we’re looking at new, innovative ways to improve services for our residents.”
In 2014, the City of New Orleans executed a contract with Waste Management of Louisiana, LLC, to provide and install 246 BigBelly solar trash compactors. The trash compactor installation plan follows the successful pilot of two BigBelly solar trash compactor units in the French Quarter in 2011 and the deployment of 110 BigBelly units in 2013 by RTA.
Waste Management of Louisiana, LLC and BigBelly will begin installing the units in the French Quarter and DDD during April 2015.
With the new solar-powered trash compactors, the City hopes to achieve:
Cleaner streets – reduced overflows and litter due to additional capacity and enclosed containers;
Secure containers – enclosed design prevents rodents and others from accessing the containers and minimizes odor;
Increased sustainability – reduced carbon footprint due to fewer collections; and,
Resource efficiencies – re-allocations of resource time (based on reduced collections).
The Department of Sanitation has marked each installation location after careful consideration of such factors as pedestrian and traffic flow, ADA requirements, public safety restrictions, and business friendliness. The BigBelly units will utilize the same footprint as the City’s existing black wrought iron cans.Trash compactor units will be located on the corners of all major commercial streets (Canal, N. Peters, Decatur, Chartres, Royal, and Bourbon), with some iron cans mid-block. In the residential area of the French Quarter, mostly iron cans will remain with a few Big Belly units strategically placed.
Click here to view trash compactors installation maps. external link
“An estimated nine million tourists pass through the French Quarter on a yearly basis, and this number is growing,” said Councilmember Nadine Ramsey. “The solar enhanced garbage receptacles will help to reduce the ills associated with the increase in garbage that stems from a robust tourism industry. This is a very smart way to use technology in our sanitation strategy.”
Learn more about all activities related to garbage collection, disposal, recycling, and street cleaning by visiting www.nola.gov/sanitation
