Compactors
Compactors are designed to compress waste materials and scrap products for easier transportation, handling and better space efficiency.
Quick links to Compactors Information
Advantages of Compactors
- Going Solar
- Compactors for reducing trash and scrap metal and other recycling purposes are known for their contribution to the green movement; and now, with the emergence of solar powered trash compactors, they can be seen as more green than ever. Most of these solar powered compactors are being used throughout business districts, residential areas, transit centers, healthcare facilities, college and corporate campuses, and city parks and beaches. They are roughly the same size as normal city trash cans, but can hold up to five times the amount of trash (between 150 and 180 gallons!). Cities and industries across the globe are seeing huge reductions in labor and transportation costs. Cutting down on transportation also contributes to the compactors’ 80% reduction in greenhouse gases.
- Impact
- The receptacles use less than 5 watt hours per day, getting 100% of their energy from the sun. Solar energy obtained through photovoltaic panels is stored in small batteries, which allows the compactors to continue to run both at night and in thick cloud cover. The bins also come with the option of including sensors and transmitters to send messages informing cities when the bins are full. Another benefit is that owners of the bins can sell advertising space on the outside of the bins, one way to shorten an already fast turn around in terms of cost. And having cleaner streets and public arenas mean happier residents and patrons, which means better business.
- These small bins are ideal for the public arenas mentioned earlier, but larger versions could be a great way for industrial companies to reach sustainability goals as well. Most industrial waste is processed beginning with on-site compactors as they save companies thousands of dollars in transportation and labor, but going solar could increase those savings while helping the company to be more environmentally responsible at the same time.
Application of Compactors
Industries such as food processing, manufacturing facilities, retail and consumer businesses and automotive factories all benefit in terms of environmentally and economically from compacting trash. Reducing the bulk volume of trash reduces the money and effort required to dispose of it.
Types of Compactors
Compactors are similar to industrial balers in that they reduce waste, but are typically used for non-recyclable materials in order to save space in landfills and other trash disposal locations.
Compactors tend to be smaller than balers and result in more compact bundles of waste at the end of the process.
Specific types of compactors include trash compactors for residential, commercial or industrial purposes, compactors fitted into the back of garbage trucks to conserve space and compactors that are designed for specific materials. Most waste materials such as textiles, food products, containers, metals, plastics and fibrous materials can be processed with compactors, however hazardous materials such as aerosol cans, batteries and chemicals should be disposed of with an approved method. Recycling is an important way for manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of industrial activity, and compactors remain an integral part of this.
Design of Compactors
A large chamber, an electric motor, and a pneumatic or hydraulic press are the three main components of a compactor. Industrial compactors can have manual or automated loading functions from a large input area which is able to handle large volumes of waste material. The input area feeds the waste material into the chamber where it is pounded and compacted under great pressure from the press. Using a hydraulic press minimizes the energy lost in the process and reduces the heat produced by the machine.
Industrial compactors usually produce bales of compressed materials, while commercial or residential compactors are more likely to use bags or bins to store compressed waste until disposal. The compressed material is then ready for transport to a permanent disposal location, or to a recycling facility to be reused. Factories, hotels, schools, medical centers and manufacturing facilities typically have a compactor on the premises for ease of access and minimal transport costs. While the initial expense of purchasing a compactor may seem high, there are many advantages to using compactors onsite. For example, they help to minimize odor and vermin problems, reduce the frequency of required waste removal, eliminate spillage and leaks from overflowing waste containers and improve standards of housekeeping around a facility.