Tour North 9: AVAC

Remember when "the future" meant that everything was going to travel around in tubes? Well, on Roosevelt Island, that's partially true. Refuse is collected from residents through an Automatic Vacuum Collection System, known as AVAC. Every hour, a computer opens valves in one of two massive pipes underneath the island that whisks trash to this central collection building at 55mph. Now that's some fast trash! Speaking of fast trash, have you seen the exhibit about this system called Fast Trash?

The futuristic collection building was designed by Kalmann & McKinnell (remember them from Motorgate?) in 1975 and is especially streamlined to reflect the advanced technology it houses. Originally introduced in Sweden in 1961, Roosevelt Island's AVAC is one of only 6 systems built in the US (which includes the one in EPCOT), and is the only residential system. It is also the largest system in the US, able to handle the garbage from 20,000 households. What's even more amazing is that all of this operates completely out of sight. Now imagine what happens when this system gets blocked. Unfortunately it is the job of a very skinny man to crawl into a tube and fix everything. It’s a wonder that the system works so well, sight unseen. It's even operating right now, right under your feet!

North Tour Stop 9: AVAC

AVAC System- Vacuum Trash Collection