Editor’s note: A version of this story, written and reported by Peter Jackson, originally appeared in the Hunts Point Express, a sister paper of the Norwood News and the Bronx News Network. Read the original story here.

While walking along Jerome Avenue, one might notice this rectangular-shaped double bin on the southeast corner of Jerome and Gun Hill Road, standing beside a mailbox.

Meet the Big Belly.

Big Belly is the world’s first and only solar trash compaction system. It uses the sun’s energy to automatically compact the garbage at the time of disposal. This system can hold up to five times more garbage than ordinary receptacles, allowing for less garbage pickups, meaning less fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Direct Environmental Corporation, a certified minority-owned business in the Bronx, makes the solar powered trashcans.

DEC partnered with Big Belly Solar, the inventors of Big Belly, and has since become the sole manufacturer of the Big Belly for the east coast.   

The $4,000 garbage cans were purchased by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and given to various Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), throughout the Bronx this winter.

A study conducted by the DEC showed that the city of Philadelphia saved $1.5 million a year after replacing 700 wire baskets with 500 Big Bellies. Instead of Philadelphia’s sanitation trucks making the regular 17 trips a week, they only made five.

Each BID received two receptacles for their district. The Jerome-Gun Hill BID has one on the southeast corner of Gun Hill Road and Jerome Avenue, and also on the corner of Mosholu Parkway and Jerome Avenue.

The executive director of the Jerome-Gun Hill BID, Lisandra Lamboy, feels that these ‘Big Belly’ solar compactors/recycling kiosks improve the overall aesthetics of the community.

“They’re attractive, cleaner, durable and environmentally friendly,” said Lamboy. “This has to be one of the best ideas to cut back on sanitation costs.”