Learning how to manage waste without spending too much could be challenging for many business owners, especially for industries that produce a lot of waste when manufacturing. Because of how much this waste has been affecting the environment, adapting an efficient way to handle your waste production must be practiced.
One way to do that is to have a commercial trash compactor.
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What Is A Commercial Trash Compactor?
Much like a trash bin, a trash compactor stores whatever garbage you throw in, except this has a hydraulic (or pneumatic) press inside that flattens your waste to allow room for more trash. However, since this trash compactor is used commercially, it’s far bigger than what some families have inside their homes.
With a larger size, a commercial trash compactor can handle bigger bulks of trash and manage all of it efficiently. By doing so, it can reduce the mass of the garbage you load it with, hence, lightening the load for easy transport, despite containing all of your organization’s waste.
Maintenance Tips
Although the purpose of a commercial trash compactor is to contain trash, that doesn’t mean you should allow it to collect dirt once you unload the junk it compressed. And by taking special care of your trash compactor, you’ll get to have one that will stay fully functional longer. So, here are some tips on how to maintain it:
- Clean It Out
As mentioned earlier, don’t leave any dirt behind after unloading the compactor. Clean it from any amount of grime or debris, especially those places close to the motor, cooler, and power unit. Since these components draw in or expel air the most, they tend to attract more dust. There’s a better chance its smooth performance will decline over time by attracting dust.
But before you go right ahead, have the machine clean itself out first. Many compactors have a clean cycle system installed already, so all you need to do is press a button for it to do its magic. Make sure to do it in recommended intervals, though. You wouldn’t want to wear out this mechanism, after all.
Once the cleaning system is finished doing its job, proceed in cleaning any remaining debris that’s sticking to the surface, especially these parts:
- The door
- The compaction plate, and most importantly,
- The compaction chamber
Of course, other than the machine itself, don’t forget to clean up the area around it. Having piles of trash gathered around the machine lined up for the next compaction will only attract pests, and you probably won’t be aware of them when you load up the trash. Now, instead of worrying about debris alone, you’ll have a bigger mess to take care of, with the unfortunate critter ‘compacted’ with the rest of the trash.
- Check Its Fluids
Since the hydraulic press does most of the compacting, you should check if it’s running low on hydraulics, oil, and other fluids. There should be a reserve solely for hydraulic oil somewhere in the machine.
See that the oil levels don’t go dangerously low before another refill to keep its performance up. For better output, use high-quality oil, if possible. On another note, if you plan to have your trash compactor working all year around in changing seasons, then it’s recommended you use an all-weather hydraulics fluid, so it won’t be affected by the externally changing temperatures.
Other than its reserves, also check for any leakage. If you see any, that could either mean a damaged component inside the machine or reserves that weren’t secured properly. If there’s a damaged part, have it replaced immediately by an expert or an industrial compactor repair & service. A professional would be familiar with its blueprint.
- Inspect Components
Although fluids serve to fuel the machine, the components work to perform the machine’s function. This is why you must check every single one of them, such as:
- The oil filters
- Pumps
- Motors
- Switches
- Cylinders and their housings
Make sure to keep a regular schedule in inspecting their cleanliness and proper performance. If you’re familiar with the machine, you can check its components yourself with the right maintenance tools instead of calling in a professional.
- Touch It Up
On top of checking the machine’s inner workings, its external features must also be kept up to date. Since trash compactors are usually made of metal, corrosion is expected to happen over time. And once it erodes, it could reduce its efficiency—or worse, damage the rest of the machine as well.
To prolong its quality, consult the trash compactor’s manual. By reading the manual, you can determine which parts can be greased and identify which could be the door hinges and other moveable parts. You won’t find any hindrance from its compacting by greasing them up.
Besides greasing, if you notice any rust, sand it over immediately before applying a fresh coat of paint. It’s especially urgent to do this when the machine’s labels and warnings have already faded. Re-label the machine as soon as you see it worn out. This way, there’s less chance of anyone getting hurt while compacting.
Then, if you want to prevent your compactor from emitting a foul smell, why not try applying a filter on the machine? The filter will absorb the stench and allow the machine to have a more pleasant aroma as trash is being pressed down.
Safety Tips
Although it may look easy for those who don’t know too much about it, operating a trash compactor could be dangerous, just like any other equipment. That’s why you must exercise safety in using it. And other than re-applying the labels and warnings, here are some helpful tips that can guarantee your security when tasked with handling a trash compactor:
- Be Trained
Ever since the trash compactor was assigned to you, it has become your responsibility. And it’s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with its functions. Therefore, training is a requirement for anyone that’s handling the machine.
Through training, you’ll learn important things related to operating a trash compactor, such as:
- Leaving the machine to do a complete cycle automatically
- Ejecting the compacted trash
- Knowing that the compacting cycle will be cut off once you’ve opened the door by accident
- Knowing when the machine is full (red light) or when the plate is moving (green light)
Moreover, being trained to operate a compactor will prepare you for whatever may occur in the middle of the cycle—namely, knowing where the emergency stop button is or equipping yourself with a stick beforehand. With this knowledge, you can arrange the trash properly once it breaches the limit.
Because you’re trained, you’ll learn to anticipate anything that might go wrong and handle the situation calmly.
- Know The Limit
Although there are different sizes of trash compactors, the fact remains that there’s a limit implemented for the machine to compact garbage properly. Since you can only process your trash depending on the hydraulic press, you could customize its strength to deal with the waste appropriately. However, just like the compacting chamber, the hydraulic press has a limit too. So, be mindful of the amount you input.
Other than its amount, you should know that commercial trash compactors only handle safe, non-biodegradable trash. Therefore, you should avoid throwing in anything like:
- Raw meat
- Fuel canisters
- Insecticide
Anything biodegradable will be challenging to clean off the machine unless you’re willing to get in there to put some elbow grease on it. And that’s not even including the rotten stench yet.
On the other hand, fuel canisters (or anything just as explosive) can explode when put under too much pressure, even empty ones. Some insecticides could be explosive as well, but their toxic properties are far more certain to affect the machine. Whether they could melt some components or cause a reaction with the hydraulic fluid, anything hazardous may damage both the machine and anyone within its vicinity.
- Call A Professional
Although you’re already familiar with the machine—from its blueprints to the little cues you’ve picked up during your time operating the equipment—it’s still different when you have a professional checking in. This professional must be someone who has built an excellent reputation in the trash compactor community—or at least someone your trusted connection has recommended. With a skilled and experienced professional, you now have someone to reach out to when something happens to your compactor and be assured that they’ll do a fantastic job with it.
Of course, you don’t need them to come in anytime there’s the slightest problem; it’s already ideal if you could schedule someone to come in twice a year. All they need to do is assess your machine’s overall performance to see if it’s still good to go for another year.
Wrapping Up
Due to the continuous damage done on the environment, many businesses are growing more aware of balancing their personal interests with the interests of the public. So, one of the solutions they’ve come up with is to use a commercial trash compactor.
Investing in this equipment will help reduce the waste your business produces, ergo, lessening the damaging effects on the environment. However, even though it’s the compactor’s job to handle your trash, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to maintain it. Keeping the machine in good condition will not only ensure that you avoid unnecessary expenses for repair but will also promise you quality in the long run.
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