Have the right machine, the right application, and the right setup for the job.
By Kiel Harvey
Several years ago, I received a call from a customer explaining that their compactor was leaking trash juice all over the ground. The residents at the apartment complex had complained about the smell, and the owner was concerned that the city may step in and levy fines. My then-company had not supplied the equipment, but we wanted to help them find a solution. When I arrived onsite, I was surprised to find a stationary compactor attached to a 40-yard receiver container that leaked a putrid, smelly fluid all over the ground. This was a classic example of using the wrong machine and akin to compactor sales heresy. Stationary compactors are great for compacting dry waste such as cardboard, paper, and plastic. However, the opening in the container and how it separates from the compactor head makes it useless for containing any liquid waste. You never use a standard stationary compactor for wet waste; it is a compaction cardinal sin. As I dug deeper, I found out the compactor had been relocated from another property the company owned, and no one had mentioned that it was unsuitable for wet waste. The installation company never mentioned that this compactor was only suitable for dry waste; they installed the machine as directed and left.
There are standard guidelines for designing and specifying a site鈥檚 trash compactor, but there is an art to it. Throughout my career, I have surveyed thousands of compactor sites. If a compactor is set up properly for the application, you can avoid many expensive and time-consuming maintenance tasks. The best way to ensure that you use the right machine for the application is to work with an established and reputable manufacturer and service provider that can guide you in purchasing and installing your equipment. This partnership not only provides expert advice, but also a sense of security, knowing that your compactor is backed by a reliable support system. If the manufacturer can provide ongoing service through a dealer network or in-house service technicians, it will ensure that you maximize your machine鈥檚 useful life.
Photos courtesy of Wastequip庐 .
Do Not Do Your Maintenance on The Side of the Highway
When I got my first car, my grandfather showed me how to change the oil and perform other general maintenance. He said, 鈥淵ou get to choose鈥攄o your maintenance in the garage or on the side of the highway. If you don鈥檛 do it in the garage, you鈥檒l get to do it on the side of the highway.鈥� That always stuck with me. Today, as part of a team that coordinates service on thousands of compactors nationwide, I see many companies decide to defer maintenance on their trash compactors until they have a catastrophic failure. In the short term, this saves money. In the long term, not so much. Unexpected downtime is egregiously costly. Suppose you take the cost of open-top container service, the cost of rushing parts, overtime to complete work after hours or on the weekend, and the loss of operational efficiency. In that case, you could be looking at three-to-five times the cost of preventative maintenance. Consider the lingering supply chain challenges of obtaining compactor parts, and you may be forced to wait weeks for a part to become available on some models鈥攐nly increasing the operational cost of downtime. Reputable manufacturers will offer you preventative maintenance options and an owner鈥檚 manual that indicates when certain maintenance services should be performed.
Every machine in the world with moving parts will require maintenance at some point. Will you plan the time and place where the maintenance is performed or will unexpected equipment failures plan it for you?
Train and Re-Train Your People
A surprising number of service calls that I see turn out to be simple problems with simple solutions. For example, the customer reports that the compactor is not working, and when our service technician arrives, they find the emergency stop button pushed in. This is a relatively cheap mistake besides the cost of a service call. More seriously, I have seen compactors destroyed by fires, hydraulic cylinders snapped in half, and more due to a lack of training. A new task is new for an employee who has never done it before.
Many of the service-related issues that shorten the lifespan of a compactor are related to improper use. When a new or refurbished compactor is installed, everyone using that machine should be trained in safe and proper use by a qualified person. When new users are brought into the picture, they should also be trained. Training personnel in using the compactor and coaching them on when to call a trained professional is important. I have arrived onsite to repair a compactor on many occasions, only to find that the site maintenance technician has opened the panel and begun adjusting switches that they were not qualified to adjust. Not only is this dangerous, but certain settings in the compactor PLC are also designed to maximize the machine鈥檚 useful life鈥攁djusting them will cause damage to the machine. Training is not only useful for the end user, but also for the waste hauler鈥檚 staff. Training roll-off drivers on a compactor鈥檚 features relevant to their work can help avoid costly damage to the machines鈥攕aving all involved time and money.
Buy Once, Cry Once
Compactors are simple machines that operate in dynamic and complex environments. While many manufacturers can supply your company with a trash compactor, not all manufacturers have devoted their engineering resources to thinking through the complexity of your application to the same degree. Quality compactor manufacturers devote substantial resources to ensuring their machines are high-quality, compliant with industry safety standards, and built to match the application鈥檚 specific needs. These professional standards can come at a higher price to the customer. Before buying a trash compactor, ask the supplier:
鈥� Do you have references from other similar customers?
鈥� What safety standards are inherent in the design of your machine?
鈥� Does your company manufacture equipment in a sustainable and responsible manner?
鈥� What support does your company offer after the sale?
鈥� Can you provide training upon startup?
Compactor manufacturers generally market themselves within three categories: speed, quality, or price. The best manufacturers can generally only offer two of the three at any time. If you get your compactor fast and cheap, quality will suffer. If you get good quality and fast delivery, it will not be cheap. I submit to you that you should pursue a quality product above price and lead time. You will use this machine for years to come, and poor quality will continue to haunt you long after the benefits of a low-price fade.
Address Failed or Damaged Components Immediately
Operating a trash compactor with failed, damaged, or broken components can lead to catastrophic failures and significantly shorten the machine鈥檚 operational life. When a component is compromised, the stress on other parts of the machine increases, potentially causing a domino effect of failures. Ignoring these issues can result in more extensive and costly repairs down the line. It is crucial to address any damage immediately, whether it is a hydraulic leak, a malfunctioning electrical component, or a structural issue. Promptly repairing or replacing faulty parts ensures that the compactor operates optimally and prevents minor issues from escalating into major problems. Implementing a policy of immediate response to component failures not only safeguards the machine鈥檚 longevity but also ensures the safety of the operators and minimizes unexpected downtime. | WA
Kiel Harvey is Director of Compactor Service Solutions for Wastequip庐. Based in Phoenix, AZ, Kiel has worked in the waste and recycling industry throughout his 15-year career. He currently leads the compactor service team at Wastequip and has previously worked in sales, management, and business development for companies like National Waste Partners and Environmental Solutions Group. Kiel can be reached at [email protected].