Industrial Processing Equipment

Strategies for Reducing Waste

One of the most important factors in managing waste and preserving the environment is actually reducing the  amount of waste that is produced. Strategies for reducing waste include reusing second-hand goods, avoiding disposable products and designing products to be reusable or refillable, repairing broken items and so on. Reducing waste is part of the waste hierarchy, where the most effective strategies are at the top of the pyramid and the least at the bottom. Effective policies include waste prevention and minimisation (including energy use), reuse and recycling, then less effective strategies include energy recovery and waste disposal.

Waste Compactors

Process Systems Services Pty Ltd manufactures two models of waste compactors, both designed for the waste and recycling industry. The first is the PSS Compactor Maxi, designed for high volume, heavy duty waste compaction. It consists of a horizontal ram that compresses the waste into standard industry bins (26m³ – 32m³). One of the primary concerns in its design was safety, so comprehensive fail-safe systems, mechanical interlocks, electrical interlocks and alarms were included to ensure the highest safety standards. It can also be fitted with a dust collector to filter the discharged air.

The second is the PSS Compactor Mini designed for paper compaction into a 600L standard industry waste bin. The benefit of a waste compactor is that it can reduce the volume of waste, making it easier and less expensive to transport, reducing its environmental impact, and helping deal with odour and rodent issues. It achieves a much higher compaction rate than manual filling of bins, about 3:1 (depending on the sort of materials). It also is designed with comprehensive safety mechanisms (interlocks, safety switches, operator protection devices) as well as superior performance. It has two compaction heads which operate vertically and on a cycle basis as waste is dropped into the bin.

Waste

Waste is anything that is no longer wanted and needs to be disposed of. Waste needs to be managed- collected, transported, and disposed of or recycled- in order to maintain hygiene, health and aesthetics. Waste is usually managed by the local government, however because of the impacts of waste pollution everyone is a participant. One impact that results from biodegradable waste is the release of the greenhouse gas methane which contributes to climate change. Another form of waste pollution is littering, which is the inappropriate disposal of waste in public spaces. Also rubbish that is not dealt with properly can end up in our oceans, lakes and river harming marine life or dumped on unregulated land contaminating the soil. Common waste disposal methods include landfills which involves burying waste underground, and is actually quite hygienic and relatively inexpensive if designed properly. Incinerators can also be used to dispose of waste, turning waste into ash and gas, and usually used for particular hazardous waste materials. However it emits pollution into the air and so is not great for the environment.

Solutions: Dust collectors, Trim Extractors, Waste Compactors

Process Systems Services Pty Ltd provides several solutions for industrial waste with efficient and affordable systems. It offers dust collectors that extract dust from the air both indoors and outdoors, helping to improve working conditions, reduce air pollution, and improve cleanliness. It also offers trim extractors for paper waste, providing a system that extracts the trim automatically to cut down on time and labour. Finally, it also produces waste compactors that will reduce the volume of waste, cut down on odour and rodent issues, and improve transportability of waste. It will also reduce the amount of space it takes up when it reaches its final destination. It comes as a Maxi compactor and a Mini compactor, and is primarily used for paper and film.

Waste Compactors

A waste compactor is a machine that compacts (meaning something large being pressured into something that is smaller and denser) waste material- whether rubbish, landfill, paper, etc. The machine uses weight, vibration or both to reduce the volume of waste and usually put it into a removable container.

The benefits of waste compactors include the ease of transporting waste and reducing the amount of space that the waste takes up at its final destination. In the case of landfill compactors, these can ensure that the waste is spread evenly in layers, that it is stabilised, and the space is used efficiently. In its commercial usages it can also reduce the smell of waste and help combat rodents by making the waste less accessible. This is especially important in the hospitality industry which has high standards of hygiene, such as in hotels, restaurants, and other food outlets.

Uses for compactors

There are five main uses for waste compactors: commercial, industrial, residential, municipal, and construction. As mentioned above, waste compactors come in handy for commecial industries to maintain hygiene standards by reduing odor and pests. They are also used in heavy industry such as processing scrap metal (e.g. for crushing cars). These come in two types: the flattening type or the baling press. The former uses descending plates powered hydraulically for a result that is completely flat. The latter, the baling press, compresses the metal from six directions so that the metal ends up as a cube.

In light industry, compactors can be used for paper, tin, foil, plastic, and cardboard. Residential compactors are used to reduce the amount of waste in order to meet council limits for pickups, as well as to reduce pests and smell. Municipal uses include waste pick up and landfill, as mentioned above, while construction purposes include crushing rock for slabs or road rollers.