Compactors for Today’s Compost: A Cost-Effective Way to Reduce Organic Waste
In today’s world, being environmentally responsible is more important than ever. Composting our food waste and compostable packaging while also compacting our trash are two of the simplest and most doable ways to give back to the planet. Of the 146 million tons of trash that end up in a landfill every year, more than 30 percent of it is food waste that could have been composted. Commercial trash compactors are the ideal way to reduce the volume of organic waste that enters landfills, and composting your food waste not only helps the environment but can also help you divert and save up to 60% on your trash disposal costs!
Why Compost?
Composting is a natural process that happens when organic matter decomposes in the presence of oxygen. When you compost your food waste, you are essentially recycling it into a nutrient-rich soil addition that you can use to improve the health of your plants and gardens. Otherwise, that uncomposted food waste would sit in a landfill, anaerobically decomposing and emitting methane. When we compost our food scraps instead, they break down aerobically and create rich soil amendments while emitting no methane. Commercial composters accelerate this process by helping break down food waste into a more manageable form.
There are many types of commercial composters available on the market, and they typically consist of a series of chambers designed for different types of food waste. Additionally, many high-volume locations use Dehydrators and Liquid Food Digesters to compost food waste reducing volume by up to 90%.
Why Compact?
In addition to commercial food waste composters, a key piece of equipment for reducing compost volume is a commercial trash compactor. Remember, compostable packaging – Pizza Boxes, to-go containers, paper towels, paper plates, coffee cups and more can be composted, yet they are filled with air! Trash compactors are designed to compress the volume of the trash, making it easier and more efficient to store and transport. By compacting your compostable waste, you can reduce the number of trips to the dumpster, which saves space, time, and money. It also reduces your carbon footprint!
Many types of commercial trash compactors are available on the market, from small in kitchen units to trash corral units to large roll-off machines. The type of compactor you need will depend on the volume of waste you generate.
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Our Compactors and Composters Across Industries
At Bay Area Trash Compactor, we offer a wide range of commercial compactors and composters to meet the needs of businesses across industries. We have units designed for restaurants, grocery stores, office buildings, hotels, hospitals, academic institutions, and more. No matter what your business generates regarding food waste or compost, we have a compactor or composter that can help you reduce the volume and save you money..
SV2 Compactor at UC Berkeley International House
The UC Berkeley International House is a multicultural residential “living and learning” center housing nearly 600 students from over 70 countries. Since 1930, the I-House has provided its residents with a supportive environment that fosters academic success and personal growth.
Due to its large volume of residents, the I-House began struggling with overflowing dumpsters crowding the highly visible alley and constant wrestling with cardboard boxes and compost handling. To reduce their environmental impact, the International House looked to Cal’s Zero Waste Team, who directed them to us! The I-House decided to invest in an SV2 Compactor for Compost, an SV2 Compactor for Landfill, and a Bramidan X6030 baler for Cardboard from Bay Area Trash Compactors.
With BATC’s equipment and a new sustainability approach, International House was able to eliminate the expensive local city hauler and transition to Cal Zero Waste’s pickup program. The living center began saving thousands of dollars annually on trash pickups and gained much better control of its waste stream.
The SV-Series commercial compactors are perfect for high-volume users like the UC Berkeley International House. Designed to minimize space requirements, these 4′ x 8′ vertical compactors are ideal for tight spaces. They have a small footprint but are big on power, compressing up to six times the amount of trash as a traditional waste bin.
Read UC Berkeley’s International House Success Story
eCubes at UC Davis
The University of California, Davis is a world-renowned research institution with an international reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. The University was looking for a way to reduce its environmental impact and save money on waste disposal costs. To better manage its team and eliminate over-servicing waste and recycling receptacles on campus, UC Davis decided to invest in E-cube Labs’ Solar powered public area trash compactors and the new Clean Cap sensors from Bay Area Trash Compactors.
These solar compactors and the unique sensors (which can be placed on standard waste/recycling/compost receptacles utilize ultrasonic waves to measure a can’s fullness, eliminating the false readings from traditional infrared sensors when sunlight interrupts the beam. With solar or battery-powered options, the Clean Cans are completely wireless and send alerts to a designated team member’s smartphone when the can is full. This allows for more efficient pickups, eliminating the need for daily or twice-daily servicing in most cases.
Since investing in E-cube Labs’ new Clean Can sensors, UC Davis has seen a significant reduction in waste disposal costs. They have also been able to redirect their team’s time to more important tasks, resulting in an overall increase in efficiency.
Read UC Davis’s eCube Success Story
V95 Indoor Compactors at Franciscan Crab Restaurant
The Franciscan Crab Restaurant is a seafood-lovers paradise located in San Francisco’s historic Fisherman’s Wharf. The restaurant is known for its fresh, delicious crab dishes and stunning views of the Bay.
To reduce their environmental impact and save on waste disposal costs, the Franciscan Crab Restaurant decided to invest in BATC’s breakthrough Summit V-95 Toter commercial trash compactors. This simple system compacts trash, compost, and recyclables directly into a Toter can. At the Franciscan, the unit saves space and labor – reducing pickups by 66%!
The V-95 Toter compactor is perfect for commercial kitchens like the Franciscan Crab Restaurant. With a small footprint and simple design, this compactor can be easily installed in any kitchen. The unit is also highly durable and able to withstand the heavy use of a commercial kitchen.
Read the Franciscan Crab Restaurant Success Story
New and Notable Composters
Each year, more and more commercial businesses recognize the benefits of investing in food composting equipment. Here are a few of the latest and greatest composters on the market:
Composting Dehydrators
Gaia Food Waste Dryer
The Gaia Food Waste Dryer is a commercial dehydrator that can be used to compost food waste on-site. This unit is perfect for businesses that generate a lot of food waste, such as restaurants, grocery stores, and catering companies. Key qualities:
- Reduces weight and volume by as much as 90%
- Treat batches of waste from 30kgs per day up to industrial scale solutions at 200 tonnes per day
- Processes food waste between 5 and 7 hours
- Accepts many contaminated and packaged food wastes
- Enables conversion of food waste to Biomass and recovery of recyclable packaging
Power Knot Liquid Food Composter
The Power Knot Liquid Food Composter is a commercial composting machine that can be used to compost food waste on-site. This fully enclosed automatic composting machine is designed for businesses that generate a lot of wet food waste. Key qualities:
- Composts food waste within 24 hours
- Continuous process permits food to be added at any time and the machine doesn’t need emptying
- Connects to the cloud so statistics on usage, diagnostics, and service schedules can be monitored remotely
- Incorporates comprehensive diagnostics and service schedules
- Air-tight tank provides quiet and odor-free operation
Related Reading: Do Solar Compactors Work?
Learn More About Commercial Compacting and Composting
If you’re interested in learning more about commercial trash compactors and composting equipment, contact us today. For the past thirty-seven years, we have supplied high-quality services to everyone from McDonald’s and Starwood Resorts to Kaiser Hospitals and Safeway. With our constantly growing range of products and our customer-oriented strategies, our services can save you time, energy, and money. Learn more by calling us at (833) 562-0665 or emailing [email protected].