A new trash system in place on Clearwater Beach helps to curb litter and make pick-up easier for city employees.
It's called an underground refuse, essentially the trash and recyclables are placed into these new cans and held underground.
The system is totally enclosed. There's no smell, no birds getting in the trash and it helps keep our beaches clean.
"Basically, it holds six cubic yards of garbage on one side and recycling on the other," Earl Gloster, Director of Solid Waste and General Services, said. "And it's out of sight, out of mind. People who hit the foot pedal, drop your stuff in, it goes away, we come in and service it. We make magic every day."
It's a $1.2 million project which includes several of these systems.
"It's important that we keep our beach clean and pristine," Gloster says. "It's important that you know we're able to put this in this enclosed container. You don't have the smell, you don't have it overflowing. I don't have to come out here and service it on a holiday weekend, three to four times a day. I can service it once and forget about it for a couple of days and come back and do it again."
There are three set up on the beach right now. The next will be at Baycare Ballpark. Next will come one near Opal Sands and another near a new fire station.
There are also plans to have a commercial system installed for some restaurants on Mandalay Avenue.
