Types of Garbage Compactors

Personal Trash Compactors

• Garbage compactors can be roughly divided into two categories: those designed for personal use in homes and those designed for commercial use at places of business. Personal trash compactors are sometimes called automatic compacting receptacles and come in many brands and finishes. While they can be made of plastic, wood or metal on the exterior, inside they are all the same - they compact trash mechanically at the point where it is thrown away. These machines generally have a capacity of about 20 to 25 gallons and can easily fit beneath a kitchen counter or floating island.

Commercial Trash Compactors

• Commercial trash compactors can be divided further into two sub-categories: indoor and outdoor trash compactors. A common feature of all commercial trash compactors is that they are designed to compact larger volumes of trash. Trash compactors help companies by saving them money on their trash collection bills. Sometimes, companies are able to downgrade to a smaller dumpster, such as a dumpster ranging from four years to eight yards, once they start using an indoor or outdoor trash compactor

Indoor Trash Compactors

• Indoor trash compactors are commonly made of stainless steel and are about the size of a refrigerator. They are designed for use in commercial kitchens and other places where an indoor trash compactor is desired and can be placed in a spot that is not accessible to the general public. They can be used in places like hospitals, utility rooms and cafeterias. They can generally accommodate up to 750 gallons of trash and compact loads in less than 20 seconds. They are heavy and require electricity to function.

Outdoor Trash Compactors

• Outdoor trash compactors are larger than indoor and personal compactors and generally range in size from 2-yard to 8-yard capacity models. Outdoor compactors also generally come in two styles: front and rear-loading and vertical. Front and rear-loading models are designed to be picked up by hauler or garbage trucks. Vertical compactors are ideal for tight spaces and can be lined up with trash chutes to allow for easy disposal of trash that doesn't require employees to walk outside to throw away trash. Outdoor compactors are commonly used by hotels, restaurants, department stores and manufacturing facilities.