FAQ's - Compactors

A waste compactor, is, as the name suggests, a machine that compacts waste. They are large and heavy-duty machines that can take mixed waste in large quantities – several tons at a time – and compress them into a smaller and more contained amounts.

The compactor consists of a press unit and a container unit. The press unit compacts the waste horizontally into the container. When the compactor is full, it is picked up by a waste collector. Depending on the material, it is then transported to a recycling station or an incineration facility.

Compactors are available in a range of sizes and varieties depending on the type of material and the amount and volume of waste the machine will be processing.

What’s the difference between a static compactor and a mobile compactor?
In short, the difference between a static compactor and a mobile compactor is whether the press unit stays on-site or if it is attached to and follows the container.

Static compator

A static compactor is designed to stay on-site. The press unit and the container unit are separate units and the press unit is bolted to a concrete base.

The container is attached to the press unit by ratchets. When the container is full, it is picked up for emptying and a replacement container is put into position on the press unit.

The static compactors are very well suited to handle very large amounts of waste and in situations where the is a need for constant filling.

Mobile compactor

In a mobile compactor, the press unit is integrated with the container. This means that the entire unit is picked up for emptying when it is full.

The mobile compactor is often slightly smaller and have less capacity than a static compactor, because it must be easy to pick up and transport on a truck.

The mobile compactor is suitable for applications where space is confined. They can handle a wide range of waste materials including cardboard, paper, plastic, combustible waste or organic waste.

Because it consists of two separate units, the capacity of the container is approx. 50% larger in a static compactor than in a mobile compactor. This makes the static compactor suitable for very large amounts of waste. A static compactor also enables continuous feeding because once a full container is removed for emptying, a replacement container is instantly put in its place. This eliminates waiting time and counters waste heaps.

Another benefit of the static container is that, because it is a static solution, it can be integrated into an existing building or site with hoppers, feeders and solutions for automation.

With a mobile compactor, structural changes to the site are not necessary. You simply connect the system to the local power supply and it is ready to use.

This makes the mobile compactor a flexible solution that can be integrated into any environment – even for a limited time period.

Yes, you can. All our compactors are available in standard RAL-colours. They are painted with a durable lead and chromate free paint.

Furthermore, their large smooth surfaces offer plenty of room for a company logo.

That depends on the compactor. As a rule of thumb, you can use a compactor to compact all soft materials. Examples of soft materials include cardboard, shredded paper, news paper, paper bags, soft dry plastic, and PET bottles.

There are also compactors for wet waste, polystyrene, EPS, and wood.

We always recommend that you consult with us if you wish to use your compactor for any other materials than the listed and recommended materials.

Yes, you can install your compactor outside. Our compactors are designed to withstand any kind of weather. Their robust fully welded steel construction prevents formation of rust. Furthermore, they are treated with a high quality and durable paint to prevent flakey paint and rust. All mechanical and electrical parts are protected from wear and tear inside the machine.

A compactor is very safe to operate and requires no special skills. All compactors are reliable and thoroughly tested to ensure that they meet the highest safety standards.

Everyone can safely load the machine. All mechanical and electrical parts are placed inside the machine, out of reach for users. Furthermore, several safety features are in place to protect the user. The control panel is placed on the outside of the machine and gives the user easy access to start the machine. An emergency stop is also placed on the control panel within fast and easy reach.

Our compactors are manufactured by our trusted German collaborator, Presto. Presto has more than 50 years of experience within the area of environmental engineering and their products are highly recognized in the business.

They all carry the EU CE marking and meet the essential requirements for health and safety set forth by the European Union. In addition, two machine groups are certified according to GS, Geprüfte Sicherheit, which means that they have been tested by a German state-approved independent laboratory to prove and ensure their safety.

As a company, Presto is certified with the ISO 9001 and SmS, Sicherheit mit System, certificates, which means that the company assesses and considers the quality and safety requirements of their customers and the requirements of the applicable standard.

This is your guarantee that each Presto product will meet or beat the highest requirements of safety anytime.

No, any maintenance and service should be done by a professional service technician.

No, it does not. Our compactors are designed for long life durability.

The machines only require an annual safety check as prescribed by law. During the service check, the service technician will ensure that your equipment lives up to the applicable rules regarding for safety and functionality.

We provide a professional service set-up designed to meet the individual needs of our customers, including flexible service contracts. With a service contract, you always have an up-to-date machine with the latest technology and user friendliness.

Our compactors use 3 L / N / PE; 400 V,50 Hz as standard.

The static and mobile compactors use 16-32 amperes. The screw compactors usually use 63 amperes.

You can check the required power supply for each compactor in the product specific tech specs.

Installing a mobile compactor requires no structural or site adaptions before installation and there are minimal requirements for the foundation. All it takes before use are the necessary electrical connections. Just plug it in and it is ready for use.

Yes, you can. If your compactor will be placed in a place with public access, you can prevent unauthorized people from using it with a digital auto lock. The lock prevents people from throwing waste into the compactor and running a press cycle.

The lock can be controlled with a pin code or a key tag. This way, only you and the people you give the pin code or a key tag to can use the compactor.

A digital auto lock can be a good idea if many people have access to the compactor, if the compactor is unattended, or if people have access to the compactor during all hours of the day.

There is no simple answer to this question. Compactors are designed to handle large amounts of waste, but there might be other reasons to choose a compactor solution as well.

When we make an evaluation for you to determine your need for a compactor we consider the size of your company, your internal work structures and processes, waste handling procedures, your work flow, the time you spend handling waste, and your current solution.

All these data help us determine the best solution for you to save time and money on your waste handling.

A compactor is very easy to use. You load your waste into the machine and, depending on your solution, press the start button to run a press cycle or wait for the press cycle to start automatically.

Yes. We offer very flexible rental agreements and both short-term and long-term rentals are available.

After the rental period, you can extend the rental period, buy the machine, or give it back to us.
To get the most out of your compactor and to keep total track of your expenses, you can add a service agreement to your tenancy. The service agreement can be an annual service check or a full-service agreement throughout the entire rental period.

Contact one of our sales consultants to hear more about the flexible possibilities about renting a compactor.

After the waste has been compacted, it is stored in the adjoining container. When the container is full, it is picked up by your waste collector and emptied before it is reattached.

It depends on the size and the model, but as standard, the mobile compactors weigh between 4500-5250 kg.

If you want to know the exact weight of a mobile compactor, please see to the product specific tech specs.

Our static compactors can be seamlessly integrated into already existing waste handling or production facilities and can be connected to inline automation solutions.

Please consult with a member of our team to hear more about your options for automating your waste handling.

Yes, you can. However, the type of compactor that you need, depends on the shape and the volume of the wood material.

Please consult with us before using your compactor for wood and other hard and bulky materials.

There are several advantages of draining your waste.

Cost savings and revenue

You can significantly reduce your costs for waste disposal if you drain your waste.

Damp and wet waste is very heavy. Draining out liquids reduces the weight and the density of your waste. Your waste takes up less space – and as a result, you can use smaller compactors and fewer and smaller containers to store your waste in. You can also reduce the number of waste pick-ups significantly, because you can store a lot more waste on-site.

The result is an instantly positive effect on your waste handling bill.

The drained-out liquids can also be collected and sold to producers of biomass and converted into biofuel. Biofuel is fuel that is developed from organic materials, a renewable and sustainable source of energy used to create electricity or other forms of power.

Selling your residual liquid as biomass can help you generate a profit from your waste. This increases the write-off of your equipment.

Incineration

Drained material is easier to process by incineration. Incineration is the process of burning waste to recover energy. Energy from incineration is used for electricity and district heating. However, wet waste weakens the burning process and the energy is not released as well if the waste is dry.

Why is wet waste difficult to burn?
Wet waste is difficult to burn, or combust, for two reasons: steam and cooling.

Steam
When water boils, it creates steam. The steam displaces the oxygen around the flame. With less oxygen available for burning, the flame will slowly suffocate.

Cooling
Cooling relates to the temperature in the burning pile and the ignition temperatures of the materials being burned. Ignition temperature is the temperature at which the material starts burning.

Water has an ignition temperature of 100˚ Celsius. That is when it boils. Most solid materials have ignition temperatures that are much higher and they will not burn at 100˚ Celcius.

Because water has the lowest ignition temperature out of all the materials in the pile (100˚ Celcius), the temperature in the waste pile will not get above 100˚ Celcius until all the water has vapourized. This is the principle of cooling.

However, 100˚ Celcius is way too low for any other material to burn. So, the other material will not burn properly until all the water is gone and the temperature in the pile rises.

If more wet waste is continuously thrown on top of the pile at the incineration facility, the combustion process will never be fully utilized.

Some governments prohibit wet, moist and undrained waste in incineration facilities.

By draining your waste, you reduce the amount of water it contains and help the waste burn better at the incineration facility.

There are special screw compactors for handling waste that contains a lot of liquids or waste that is very wet.

These compactors combine powerful draining with high compaction. They can be used to separate solid waste material from liquids or to remove residual liquids from waste products.

The system effectively drains out free-flowing contents from beverage containers such as plastic cups, Tetra Pak packaging, cans, or PET bottles, or drains sewage sludge and industrial waste. The drained-out liquid is discharged via a drainage pipe and can be collected in a trough or led further into the drainage system.

Drained material is easier to process or recycle and the drained solid waste material can be energetically utilized in incinerator plants. Furthermore, the reduction in weight as a result of draining enables considerable cost savings in waste disposals.

Yes, your wet waste compactor can be connected to a static or mobile compactor. Once your waste has been drained, you can collect it in a compactor for further compaction or for storage.

There are several advantages to compacting your EPS, EPE, and EPP material. Compacted EPS, EPE, and EPP material can be sold on to recyclers. If your company regularly deals with polystyrene waste, it can make a lucrative revenue stream.

Organisations in any industry can sell their used EPS, EPE, and EPP to recyclers. Small quantities can be uneconomic to recycle, but many companies store their compacted EPS, EPE, and EPP material and have recyclers collect it when there is enough to make it worthwhile. The prices vary. Please contact your local recycler to get an exact quote. Many companies make their waste into an extra revenue stream.

With a compaction ratio of up to 50:1 (up to 700 Kg/m³ density) you can also gain significant savings in terms of space and waste storage costs at your facility; but also in terms of transportation costs, because you can fit a lot more material on each truckload.