Impact of a Baler on Your Waste Management Needs
Are you considering investing in a baler for your company’s waste management needs? While running a business can generate a lot of garbage, using a baler trash compactor or a can help reduce the volume of waste and can simplify waste diversion. Keep reading to learn more about how a baler can improve the efficiency of your operation, help you save time and money, and make your operation more environmentally friendly.
What is a Baler?
Since a baler is an investment, you probably have some questions about how they work, as well as the benefits of purchasing one for your business. So, here are a few things you need to know before you make a final decision…
Similar to commercial trash compactors, balers are designed to compress recyclable materials into tight bales. For example, cardboard, plastic film, shrink-wrap, metal, paper, and styrofoam/EPS are all materials that can be handled by the right commercial baler.
It’s common for many businesses to have a method of organizing recyclables in large bins or debris boxes outside, but challenges with this approach include that it takes labor and time to flatten material and transport the material to the recycle area. Further, backdoor security and pilferage concerns come into play with multiple trips outside to the recycle bin. Lastly, often large outdoor recycle bins attract casual dumping from neighbors. The great thing about investing in a baler is that it makes recycling materials simple. Simply open the door and place high volumes of material into the baler, push the button and walk away. No more flattening boxes, no more storing shrink-wrap. You save labor, save space, improve waste diversion, improve backdoor security, reduce hauling costs and critically, now the material is baled into easy-to-handle bales to be recycled by a local or regional recycler. Depending on the material baled and the current recycling market recyclers may well pay you for your baled recyclable material..
How to Use a Recycling Baler
Operating a baler is simple.. With the new generation of smart approach balers first you pre-feed your baling wire or bale strapping from the front of the baler while the baler is empty. This new approach saves both space and time. Then, you simply open the loading door and place the materials inside. The baler will compact your recyclables once the door is closed and you push the start button. Once full, the bale full indicator light will come on, and you will open both doors, use the bale wire hook to reach through the platten groves and grab the baling wire or strapping that you pre-fed into the baler. Pull the wire/strapping through and tie it with the loop that is exposed at the foot of the baler. Once tied, stand to the side of the baler and push the eject button and the baler will automatically eject the bale. It’s that simple. There are many different sizes of balers, but they all compress the waste so that it’s forced down into a more compact shape. Because you are often baling at the point of waste generation, you save time and space while also making it easier to handle and recycle the orderly bundles. This is also a good way to source separate waste materials. A huge advantage of vertical balers is that they don’t take up as much space as a commercial trash compactor or outside debris box.
Who Needs a Baler?
It’s common to find balers in stockrooms as well as businesses that don’t have a lot of extra space to store recyclable byproducts. Balers can help cut down on storage space and save labor.. You’re sure to find balers in use at places like distribution centers, warehouses, grocery stores, shopping centers, and manufacturing facilities. But today, many restaurants, hotels, schools, universities, retailers, hardware stores, apartment buildings, offices, country clubs and gathering places use balers.
How is a Trash Compactor Different?
A commercial trash compactor is another piece of equipment that can improve your waste management strategy and lower your trash bill. Paired with a baler trash compactor can complete your waste diversion approach by compacting landfill waste or compacting compost to reduce the volume and limit the number of pick-ups required by the garbage company. A trash compactor traditionally reduces garbage bills 45%-75% providing a rapid ROI.
Like balers, compactors come in many different sizes and models. There are indoor compactors, toter can compactors, solar compactors, outdoor compactors for the trash corral, roll off compactors, self contained compactors, auger compactors and stationary compactors. Each has it’s unique way to streamline your operation, saving labor, saving space, improving sanitation while improving the appearance of your property and, importantly, reducing garbage truck noise, driveway wear and tear and reducing garbage truck air pollution. Ultimately, choosing the right compactor is based on your volume of waste material and your unique operation. .
So, as you can see, many operations invest in both a baler and a compactor as the labor savings and waste costs savings can pay for both units in under 2 years.
How to Decide if a Baler is Right for You
If you still aren’t sure if a baler is right for your facility, you can perform a waste audit. It might be a bit messy, but it’s a smart way to improve your waste management system. Here’s a quick review of the steps involved in performing your own waste audit.
- This will involve collecting any waste that’s produced by your company during a set amount of time. The goal of this is to get a clear picture of the materials your business is disposing of on a regular basis.
- Take note of the various types of waste materials your company produces and how they were mixed together.
- Depending on your particular industry, you may find that certain areas of your company create more waste than others. This is common. Try to determine what it’s currently costing you to dispose of these materials.
- You can then use what you’ve learned to come up with a better waste management system for your business. This should also give you a better idea of whether you need a baler trash compactor, or, possibly both.
Impact of Amazon Boxes
Today, people receive goods daily in cardboard boxes shipped from Amazon and other internet retailers. Apartment buildings/complexes are swimming in excess boxes. Office buildings, university dorms, and others have excess cardboard boxes and nowhere to store them. Thankfully, because of the many space saving small footprint balers available these operations can crush hundreds of boxes into an easy to handle bale and recycle the material with ease.
Benefits of Choosing a Baler and a Compactor
There are clear advantages to implementing a better waste management system for your company. Investing in a baler will make recycling easier and even more profitable. Investing in a compactor will streamline your operation and save you money. Additionally, baling and compacting is another way to make your business more environmentally friendly – reducing carbon footprint, extending landfill life, and improving the recycling economy. Importantly, a baler and compactor will create a win-win situation, bringing you the following benefits: Slash hauling costs 45%-75%, generate recycling revenue/savings, save space, save labor, improve backdoor security, eliminate casual dumping, limit pilferage, increase sanitation, and improve the appearance of your property.
Contact Us
To learn more about implementing a better approach to waste and recycling, contact us at Bay Area Trash Compactor. We’re here to support your goals, and we use our SMART Approach to help you cut costs while streamlining your operation. Learn more by calling us at (925) 465-5133 or (800) 955-0866 or emailing [email protected] You can also read about the different types of balers by clicking here.