In an ongoing effort to support sustainability and resource conservation, Pierce County Facilities Management has installed solar powered trash compactors and recycling units at two facilities.

The units are powered by a solar panel, which utilizes a renewable energy source to run a compactor inside the container. Compacting the waste in the units allows custodial staff to reduce the number of garbage pickups, which saves time and resources for Pierce County. The compactors also enable the consolidation and reduction of existing trash cans at each site, which decreases the high number of trash bags used on a daily basis. In addition to increasing operational efficiencies, the units will reduce landfill waste by increasing accessibility to recycling at the facilities.

A unique feature of the compacting units is their ability to communicate to custodial staff through an online interface. The units provide real-time information on how full they are, and allow staff to track and benchmark the volume of waste and recycling collected.

The units are located at both the first- and second-floor entrances of the County-City Building and at the south entrance of the Annex.