Residents of Roosevelt, Baldwin and South Hempstead can expect cleaner streets and public spaces after Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé secured more than $100,000 in Community Revitalization Program (CRP) funding for Sanitary District Number. 2.
The Nassau County Legislature unanimously approved two CRP grants totaling $100,725.50, which will fund the purchase and installation of 10 Bigbelly Smart Max solar-powered trash compactors and 24 Ironsites 45-gallon litter receptacles. The new receptacles will be strategically placed along county roads with heavy pedestrian traffic to help reduce litter and improve neighborhood cleanliness.
According to Nassau County contract documents, $54,879.50 of the funding is designated for the solar compactors, software, subscriptions and related equipment needed to operate the units through an intermunicipal agreement between Nassau County and the sanitary district. The agreement has a five-year term from its execution, giving the district time to complete the project and operate the equipment.
The Bigbelly compactors are expected to play a major role in keeping streets cleaner by compacting trash, allowing each unit to hold five to ten times more waste than a traditional garbage can. The increased capacity means sanitation crews will need to make fewer collection trips, reducing fuel consumption and lowering the district's carbon footprint.
“We are grateful to receive this Community Revitalization Program grant to support the purchase of new litter baskets and Bigbelly Solar garbage pails throughout Baldwin, Roosevelt and South Hempstead,” LeRoy Roberts, commissioner of Sanitary District 2 said. “This funding will strengthen our efforts to keep public spaces clean, reduce litter and improve the quality of life for our residents.”
Mulé said the investment will benefit both residents and the environment.
“Cleaning up litter is key to improving our quality of life,” she said. “Introducing solar-powered trash compacting receptacles will keep key portions of Sani 2’s coverage area cleaner and reduce our carbon footprint by requiring fewer pickups because their capacity is five to ten times larger than that of a traditional trash can. I’m proud to be able to deliver these resources to the communities served by Sani 2, and I look forward to partnering with them in the future on additional energy-saving programs for our neighborhoods.”
