Balers vs. Compactors

You have two general options when it comes to reducing your waste management expenses: waste balers and commercial trash compactors. Each one of these offers its own benefits, depending on the type of waste your business generates. It is important to evaluate whether a recycling and waste baler, an industrial trash compactor, or both would be the most advantageous for cutting your waste management costs.

The Advantages of Commercial Waste Balers

Commercial waste balers are designed to compact and bale recyclables and dry waste.  including plastics, paper, aluminum, textiles, and cardboard. Some of the reasons that businesses purchase or rent a commercial cardboard baler or recycling baler include:

• Baling dry waste materials, which take up less space in dumpsters transfer stations, and landfills
• Reducing the size and volume required for storage of recycling bales in the facility
• Creating consistent sized bales that may have market value as uncontaminated recyclable materials
• Reducing waste-handling costs involved in having employees break down boxes or bagging packing materials
• Simplifying the process of managing paper waste and recyclables with dedicated cardboard baler

The Advantages of Commercial Trash Compactors

Commercial trash compactors reduce the volume of waste materials by compression. There are stationary compactors, mobile self-contained compactors, and chute-fed models.

How does a trash compactor work differently from a baler? Most commercial compactors reduce volume by at least a factor of 3:1, while some heavy-duty models reduce waste volume by as much as 7:1, meaning seven bags of garbage take up the space of one in a dumpster or bin.

The advantages of pre-crushers, vertical compactors, and horizontal trash compactors are:

• The ability to handle wet waste and mixed materials for efficient collection and disposal
• Using less space for storage of compacted waste and reducing business impact on landfills
• Reducing the frequency of trash pickups which can drastically reduce waste management costs
• Improving employee efficiency, workplace safety, and reducing loss of inventory
• Reducing odors, leaks, and problems with pests

Comparing Commercial Compactors and Balers

If you are running a business or manufacturing facility, be sure to choose commercial- or industrial-grade waste management equipment that is sized for your waste production and chosen for the types of waste produced. You can talk to a waste management consultant about your needs with a free consultation, potential cost-savings report, and the right design and power unit for your needs.

Balers and compactors are similar in that they both reduce the volume of waste materials which reduces storage, handling, and pickup costs. Both pieces of equipment can be used for compacting recyclable materials into cubes or bales.

Balers and compactors are different in that compactors are designed to handle organic waste and prevent leaks, while balers are made for dry materials only. If your waste can be sorted then recycling materials are kept uncontaminated by baling according to type. If your waste management plan involves disposing of unsorted materials and wet waste, a trash compactor is the better option.

Reduce Your Commercial Waste Management Budget

You can learn more about balers and compactors, their differences, and other benefits they can provide your business in the graphic chart below. If you are not sure which pieces of equipment make financial sense for your business, or whether it is better to buy or rent waste management equipment, reach out to Global Trash Solutions today. You can schedule a free consultation and waste stream audit and get help selecting the commercial trash compactor or industrial recycling baler that will help you reach your business’s sustainability and financial goals.