News | October 19, 2011

Munro Distributing Now Offers Solar-Powered Waste And Recycling Collection System

Munro Distributing now an authorized BigBelly Solar distribution partner for its "Smart Grid for Waste & Recycling" that combines data and on-site compaction to fuel dramatic financial and environmental savings

Raynham, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)- Munro Distributing announced today that it has signed a distribution agreement with BigBelly Solar, allowing the company to offer BigBelly Solar's intelligent waste & recycling collection system to its customers. Munro Distributing is a distributor of clean energy solutions and electrical supplies with locations throughout Massachusetts and in RI, NY, NJ and CA. The BigBelly Solar intelligent waste & recycling collection system combines a powerful management console, software-enabled network command center, and family of mix and match solar-powered waste & recycling stations into a toolkit that enables municipalities, parks, colleges & universities, arenas, government facilities and other institutional customers to reduce collection frequency and the operating costs associated with collection by 80 percent.

Fewer trash collections lead to cost reductions by freeing up valuable worker time, allowing managers to re-deploy staff to other important tasks and reduce the costs and pollution of unnecessary vehicle trips. The solar powered waste & recycling stations can be located virtually anywhere, enabling dramatic reduction in waste collections cost and delivering cleaner public spaces and more efficient and flexible operations.

"By extending our services to offer the BigBelly system, we are providing our customers with an additional avenue to hedge escalating energy costs while promoting sustainability," said Glenn Maltais, VP Market Development and Sustainability at Munro. "With the rapid return on investment that the BigBelly solution provides, we can now further the objectives of energy conscious communities by offering and educating them on the benefits of the solar-powered waste and recycling collection system."

"We are delighted to partner with Munro Distributing, which brings a dedicated, knowledgeable team and an excellent reputation to help bring the benefits of the BigBelly system to customers in the region," said Rick Gaudette, Regional Sales Director for BigBelly Solar.

The BigBelly stations are made up of BigBelly solar compactors and SmartBelly components. As waste collects inside a BigBelly solar compactor, an internal "eye" senses when the bin is filling and the system triggers a compaction cycle, allowing each BigBelly compactor to hold four to five times as much waste as a typical receptacle. When the compacted waste reaches a level where pickup is necessary, the compactor signals the command center, where personnel can then view real time and historic fullness and collection data via the online management console. SmartBelly components provide the same sensing and reporting features as the BigBelly compactors, but do not compact and so are designed for lower-traffic areas that do not require the large capacity of the BigBelly compactors. Designed for reliable performance in all climates and latitudes, the BigBelly and SmartBelly components need only ambient daylight to operate. BigBelly solar compactors are so energy efficient they can run for one week on the equivalent energy of brewing one pot of coffee. The BigBelly system is available immediately.

About Munro Distributing
Munro Distributing Company Inc. is a forward-thinking distributor of clean energy solutions and electrical supplies. For 6 decades and 3 generations, Munro has leveraged its experience and buying power to deliver quality products and value-add services. They have locations throughout MA, RI, NY, NJ and CA. www.munrodistributing.com

About BigBelly Solar
BigBelly Solar is a leading global provider of innovative and sustainable solutions for the management of waste & recycling, with more than 800 customers in virtually every U.S. state and 30 countries. Recognized as a C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group best practice, BigBelly Solar is enabling its partners and customers in becoming visible leaders in practices that are more environmentally sustainable – displacing fossil fuel usage through renewable energy, increasing recycling rates, reducing litter and associated public health concerns, and creating a messaging platform to engage users and influence more environmentally-conscious behaviors. For more information, visit BigBellySolar.com

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