Solar Trash Compactors Coming to Chestnut Hill

Whether you’re a fan of the idea or not, there’s no denying reality: 15 BigBelly Solar trash compactors are on their way to Chesnut Hill.  

The new-age waste receptacles, powered by solar energy, effectively compact all refuse so that the cans can hold, according to BigBelly Solar’s website, four to five times the amount of trash that a normal can of the same size would allow. 

Paid for by the city of Philadelphia, the 15 compactors will span the lower part of the hill, from Cresheim Valley Drive to the Jenks School. 

Amy Edelman, chef and owner of the and founding member of Green in Chestnut Hill (GRinCH), estimated that the new trash cans will be installed and operational by the end of summer.   

“There’s a committee that will meet next week to decide the placement of [the compactors],” said Edelman.  “We’re supposed to have everything to the city in three weeks so I’d say by the end of August, early September they’ll all be out there.” 

Already lining the streets of areas like Roxborough, Manayunk and Northern Liberties, Edelman said the investment in technology pays dividends for the city.      

“They save the city over a million dollars a year because they’re so efficient,” she said.  “They cut down on labor and fuel for the trash trucks.  And the city can sell the recyclables as a commodity.  Those BigBelly trash cans really pay for themselves.”  

Chestnut Hill’s retail recruiter, Eileen Reilly, is certainly on board with Edelman and GRinCH.  She is of the belief that Chestnut Hill’s adoption of the BigBelly compactors will help shed the misguided notion that the community is “old and stodgy.”  

“When people think of Chestnut Hill, the shopping district that they imagine was 20 yrs ago,” said Reilly.  “And we’re not like that anymore.  When I recruit new businesses I’m going for something fresh, something new.  Any green initiatives are only going to help foster and support the idea that Chestnut Hill is filled with young, progressive thinkers and shoppers.” 

So far exactly one compactor has been placed on the hill.  Right in front of Edelman’s own bakery - The Night Kitchen.   

“We placed one there so the community could have a look at it,” Edelman said. 

Deployed in pairs, a solar compactor and its twin recycling bin, Edelman said the response from the community has been undeniably positive.   

That doesn’t mean she and GRinCH didn’t have their work cut out for them from the onset though.   

Many of Chestnut Hill’s residents expressed views that the ultra-modern devices would diminish Chestnut Hill’s charm as a historical Philadelphia destination.  

“There were some people who were incredibly opposed and fought hard against them,” said Edelman.  “We put in a lot of hours pounding the pavement, getting signatures - it was a battle for sure.” 

Eventually though, close to a year after they began the initiative, Edelman and GRinCH prevailed.  The Chestnut Hill Community Association heard the will of the majority and voted to incorporate the BigBelly Solar compactors into the Chestnut Hill landscape.   

“Because GRinCH was able to demonstrate that the majority of businesses and residents were totally in support of [the compactors], we were able to convince the community association that it was the right thing to do,” said Edelman.  “It was really hard.  But, in the end, the community association is a democratic body.  They represent the residents of Chestnut Hill and they did what they were supposed to do.”  

Even the Historical Society, who as a body originally had concerns about the compactors' effect on the Chestnut Hill landscape, was swayed by GRinCH’s lobbying.   

Executive director of the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, Jennifer Hawk, said that the society heard enough positive evidence from Edelman and her team that their concerns were eventually laid to rest.

“Many of our concerns were addressed through specific placement of the receptacles,” said Hawk.  “We were happy with the vote and we‘ll be working with the group to approach the city for the most sensitive placement of the receptacles.  We were also happy that they will prohibit any future use of the receptacles for advertising of any kind.” 

Hawk said the Historical Society is glad to be working with GRinCH on implementing the new receptacles into Chestnut Hill’s historic landscape.  

“I think we’ve all come together,” she said.  “We were very happy that we worked out a compromise on the most sensitive placements possible.” 

Eileen Reilly said GRinCH’s success is just another example of the benefits of hard work. 

“[GRinCH] had to jump through hoops,” said Reilly.  “It was brought before the community association, the business association - in every case they left the meeting charged with a list of further concerns and questions.  But if you believe in something, just because you might face speedbumps or headwinds - it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.  And that’s what they did - they just doggedly pursued it.”