Smart Cans Added to South Baltimore

Last week, 64 Smart Cans were added to South Baltimore business districts. Smart Cans are sun-powered trash compactors that let Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) sanitation employees know when they need to be emptied.

The Smart Cans were funded with $300,000 from the Casino Local Development Council (LDC), one of the two organizations that manage Local Impact Grants for South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan neighborhoods. These Local Impact Grants are generated by Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, along with Maryland Live and MGM National Harbor. The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership also manages Local Impact Grants.

Smart Cans were added to business districts in Ridgely’s Delight, Pigtown, Cherry Hill, and Westport, and along Light St., S. Charles St., and S. Hanover St. in Federal Hill and South Baltimore. Some Smart Cans replaced black metal open-top trash cans, and some were added to corners that did not previously have trash cans.

DPW says the cans have several advantages including their ability to confine litter and prevent it from overflowing, keep rodents away, and transmit data that lets DPW staff know when trash needs to be picked up.

The large, black cube cans have a Baltimore City seal, a “Keep Baltimore Clean” panel, and a currently-vacant space for advertisements.

The Maryland Port Administration is contributing more than $900,000 for a second phase of Smart Cans to be placed in the City’s business districts later this year.

“Baltimore needs to get smarter about trash, and these Smart Cans are a big part of the solution,” said Mayor Catherine Pugh in a press release. “I’m thankful to our partners in the Casino Local Development Council and the Maryland Port Administration for providing the funding for these cans, and I’m thrilled for our neighbors and businesses that will benefit from them.”

The cans are made by Ecube Labs, a South Korean company that is making Baltimore its East Coast hub. Ecube Labs won a competitive bid earlier this year.

Smart Cans are one of the recent cleaning initiatives by DPW. Earlier this summer, the Bureau of Solid Waste added 15 new all-terrain litter vehicles to help remove trash from streets in business districts and adjoining neighborhoods. DPW also launched a proactive mowing schedule to help control grass and weeds on vacant lots, and it is cleaning, boarding, and wiping out graffiti in areas outlined in Mayor Pugh’s Violence Reduction Initiative.

via https://www.southbmore.com/2018/09/18/smart-cans-added-to-south-baltimore/