Municipal efforts to maintain cleaner streets and promote recycling are about to take a significant step forward. Eighteen locations throughout Chelsea will soon receive BigBelly solar barrels, with installation by the DPW set to commence this week.
“This is our next step at keeping Chelsea clean and green,” noted City Manager Jay Ash, who added: “Thanks to the Council support and approval, we’re spending $75,000 to make it more convenient for pedestrians to discard their trash and, for the first time, have public options for recycling. We expect that our streets, especially in the downtown, will be cleaner, and pleased to be improving recycling efforts and reducing the energy we expend in emptying barrels.”
The BigBelly solar system merges waste and recycling into a single solution. The waste barrel functions as a compactor, enabling it to hold multiple days or even weeks of refuse without daily collection—a strategy that conserves both personnel and fuel while freeing the DPW and its partners to address other critical priorities. While BigBelly manufactures solar compactors for recyclables as well, the City chose a standard recycling bin instead, determining the expected volume would not justify the extra investment. Equipped with sensors, both containers transmit fill-level data to the DPW, allowing crews to optimize collection routes and resources.
According to Councillor Calvin Brown, “It’s great that we’re rolling out the BigBellys,” “We don’t have enough barrels out on the street, and those that we do are often overflowing. This will solve multiple cleanliness problems for us.”
The price tag per unit is $4,700. When weighed against conventional $50 barrels or $300 decorative receptacles, city leadership expects the investment to yield returns through improved street conditions, decreased labor for maintenance and emptying, and reduced spending on fuel and equipment for servicing barrels.
Councillor Brian Hatleberg stated: “I’m thrilled with the BigBelly system and look forward to both their deployment and use,” “If we can use smart technology to make our streets cleaner and our environment better, the modest expense should pay for itself.”
The downtown area will receive twelve units, while five additional barrels will be placed on Central Avenue, Everett Avenue, upper Broadway, Cary Square, and Washington Avenue in Prattville. The eighteenth unit remains in reserve for future use.
Council President Dan Cortell remarked that “We’ve approved the funding because we believe the technology will work. But for it to reach its maximum, we need residents to take notice and encourage each other to use them. If they are used, we’d appropriate even more money to place more down in additional locations,”
Several parks already feature BigBelly units, including the recently renovated Washington Park.
Councillor Paul Murphy advised that “The units are working well and are well received up there,” “Being able to do this again demonstrates how important cleanliness is to us and how resolved we are to do something about it.”
The City’s improved fiscal health also plays a role, according to Ash, who concluded: “We’ve got plenty of great ideas, but they almost all cost money. As we continue to manage our financial situation and bring in development, though, these types of improvements continue to be possible,”