Compactors

There are two main types of compactors: static and portable

The static type is fixed to the ground and has an attached container that a vehicle can uplift separately. The portable type is collected in entirety and therefore the vehicle removing it carries the compacting machinery, a significant extra dead weight, as well as the waste. In consequence portable compactors may not be as environmentally preferable when compared to a static container. They also tend to be smaller in capacity due to a portion being taken up with the compaction machinery. Portable compactors are subject to frequent movements, which may result in greater wear and tear and breakdowns of the mechanism and consequently greater maintenance costs.

Compactors can be cost effective in terms of reducing the number of uplifts of waste by increasing the effective space of the container three to five times, achieving a compaction ratio of between 3:1 and 5:1. Theoretically, cutting your uplifts to one in every five will achieve a substantial financial saving. Compactors can be expensive, ranging up to £25,000 for a large scale static with box. It can be possible to recover these costs within 2 to 3 years. Ultimately, the use of compactors depends on the mechanism for collecting waste and will be more appropriate if it is collected from one or two main areas rather than from a number of locations.
There is a range of smaller-scale compactors on the market, which have worked effectively for some institutions. The benefits of these are that they can be suitable in confined spaces. Suppliers for this type of equipment include Pakawaste (Tel 01772 796688) and Orwak (Tel 0208 206 2900)

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