Artwork on the New Solid Waste Services Blount Street Pilot

The Solid Waste Services Blount Street Pilot is focused on a solution to remove trash and recycling cans from the sidewalk. We have teamed up with Brewery Bhavana for the first iteration of a possible solution. 

This pilot has a shed-like structure that takes up about one parking space and fits 6 cans inside. The shed locks on both sides; the restaurant has a code for the sidewalk side, and the solid waste crews have the code for the street side. When collected, the crew pulls up, unlocks, and unloads the cans, then puts them back and locks the doors. 

Covering the structure in a mural and getting cans off the sidewalk is a win for City beautification. The department is monitoring the use and success of this pilot and is hopeful this is a solution that can be used with other businesses.

About the Artwork

The "Beauty for Ashes" artwork invites viewers to look differently at the containers we use for our discarded materials. This artwork transforms an everyday object into a powerful visual story of beauty and renewal. More than an artwork, "Beauty for Ashes" is a conversation starter. It asks us to slow down and imagine a future where functionality and creativity walk hand in hand.

Partners on this Project

This project is a partnership between Solid Waste Services, the Downtown Transportation Team, and Raleigh Arts.