Cranberry Township Supervisor Dick Hadley, left, and Lorin Meeder, the township's environmental program coordinator, show off Cranberry's new solar powered cardboard compactor which is located behind the municipal center. A state grant covered 90 percent of the unit's cost.

CRANBERRY TWP — A new solar powered cardboard compactor is available for residents' use.

The commercial grade compactor is capable of handing large volumes of cardboard waste. The cardboard will be picked up by the township's municipal waste hauler, Vogel Disposal Services of Mars, and recycled.

"Cranberry has a lot of cardboard. Whether it is from people moving into the new homes or with the larger purchases such as televisions and refrigerators. Everything comes in a box," said Lorin Meeder, township director of environmental programs.

The new unit cost about $35,000 installed. A state grant paid for 90 percent of that, with the township funding the rest.

The compactor will replace two commercial containers that had been used for collecting cardboard. It is located behind the municipal center.

"The purchase of this public use cardboard compactor is just one more indication of the board of supervisors' commitment to support this community's desire to be green and sustainable," said township manager Jerry Andree.

Meeder said thanks should go to residents for their recycling efforts, which have greatly increased over the past several years from the traditional glass, cans and plastic to other items, such as cardboard.

Meeder said the township several years ago installed containers for cardboard and the service proved popular.

"As fast as we emptied the containers, they filled again," he said. "We get 1,200 pounds a week in cardboard containers behind the municipal center.

"If we emptied them out on Friday, they're full by Sunday and even overflow at certain times of the year.

"We didn't want to keep putting out more containers. What we needed instead was some way to compact them to reduce the volume, reduce the number of trips, reduce the amount of fuel used — to reduce the whole carbon footprint," Meeder said.

The free, self service compactor is available to residents 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Even when the solar collector isn't receiving enough sunlight to charge the unit's batteries, the compactor will still run with standard electricity lines.

A surveillance camera monitors the compactor's use.

The rules of use are posted on the front of the compactor.

"You have to break the boxes down to get them inside the slot," Meeder said. "We don't want Styrofoam or packing material. That should go into the garbage. And we don't want people leaving trash around."