Medford Installs New Trash & Recycling Stations at Parks & Fields

The City of Medford Parks Department installed new Bigbelly brand solar compacting trash bins with attached recycling units in 6 parks. The units were purchased through grants from National Grid and Waste Management obtained by the Office of Energy & Environment. The National Grid grant is a portion of the money the City received for encouraging home owners to have MassSave home energy assessments during 2013.

The City installed new units at Playstead Baseball Field, Logan Park, Carr Park, Memorial Park Concession Stand, Dugger Park and the Field of Dreams. Columbus Park has two of the modern units from its renovation last year and McNally Park will have two units once construction is complete.

Bigbelly solar compacting units are strongly preferred by the Medford Parks Department for several reasons. They are sealed, so residents don’t smell the trash; they compact, so more trash fits in them, resulting in less mess in the parks; and they notify the Parks Department if they are full or have a problem. Every morning Parks Department Foreman Mike Nestor receives an email with the status of all the connected Bigbelly units. Only the city’s most recent acquisitions have this capability, but it is proving so useful the city is investigating the possibility of retrofitting all the early solar compactors with the communications technology.

“Keeping our parks clean is very important to the City. They are an important asset to our quality of life. Residents have been asking for more recycling in our parks and we’re happy to make it a reality for them,” said Mayor Michael McGlynn.

More information about the Bigbelly products are available at http://bigbelly.com/solutions/stations/faqs/.

The new bins at the field behind Medford High School.

Parks Director Mike Nestor, Energy and Environment Director Alicia Hunt, and Mayor Michael McGlynn at Carr Park.

– Submitted by Medford Energy and Environment Director Alicia Hunt