How much money are you throwing away? Quite possibly, much of the material that you dispose of in your skip or waste bin can be recycled. Similarly, if you are not crushing your waste, then you are paying for collection and disposal of fresh air!

Investing in a baler can significantly reduce your waste costs. The payback period, or lease / rental costs, can be short and very cost effective. Ultimately, the greatest advantage of purchasing a baler is the saving on waste disposal, particularly the emptying of skips and bins.

The costs, both economic and environmental, of waste disposal are increasing. Landfill charges are already high and future legislation is expected to increase these still further.

It is also expected that regulations will soon be introduced requiring waste to be pre-treated before being sent to landfill. Segregating recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics etc is an example of how these new requirements can be met.

Ideally you should not throw recyclable material away, a baling press can crush and compress:

• Empty paper, cardboard and plastic packaging
• Plastic trays and containers
• PET bottles
• Foil, aluminium and plastic
• 200 litre drums and barrels
• General production waste
• Fibrous material such as cotton, wood, wool and mineral fibres
• Shredder waste (of course!)

It is easy to check the payback of your investment in a baler, or indeed whether the weekly rental / lease costs are economic. You simply calculate the amount of money that could be saved on sending waste to landfill, for example, the cost of having a skip emptied, multiply this by the number of times per week or month and see whether there are savings to be made. A formula is included on the back page of this guide and HSM will provide a no obligation quotation upon request.

In addition to the cost savings, other advantages of investing in a baler are that your waste materials take up less space when stored. Also, because the material is compressed and strapped tightly together, it is much less of a fire risk and will burn much more slowly in the event of combustion.

Among other considerations to be made when considering the purchase or lease / rental of a particular baling machine are as follows:

• Ease of loading: Generally, a large, easily accessible opening is preferred as this means that the waste material is easy to place in the baler. This is especially true with large objects that are going to be crushed such as empty cardboard boxes. Also, an ergonomic loading height helps to save the operator time and hence cost.

• Strapping: There is a choice of plastic tape or steel wire strapping. Whilst the latter is more secure and can be extracted by magnets in the recycling process, the ease of which the strapping can be positioned in the machine should also be considered. Again simple attachment and installation, ideally from the front of the baler, can save operator time and hence cost. It also saves space, as there is no need to access the back of the baler, and hence it can be positioned against a wall or similar.

• Bale Size: Although a baler should be chosen dependant upon the amount of waste to be processed, ‘mill size’ balers are proving more popular now. This is because the bales can be sold directly to the recycling mills and, because of their optimised dimensions, are most convenient for loading onto lorries and transport.
• Safety Features: Obviously, operator safety is essential. Look for features on the machine that encourage and ensure that those operating the baler are protected. For example two handed operation, hydraulic door locks, safety switches etc. echanical or automatic bale ejection systems also allow for easy handling of completed bales, especially when the bales are heavy.

• Simple Operation: Some balers incorporate a digital read out to advise the machines status and confirm the operation that is in hand. Information can also be provided such as the number of bales made within a certain period.

• Maintenance Costs: Although balers are generally reliable, quality construction incorporating features that prevent the press ram from becoming stuck or jamming in the chamber plus high quality hydraulics will save down time. Also, consider how often the machine will need to be serviced again to keep costs under control.

• Cycle Time: Whilst the press is operating, the baler cannot be loaded. Therefore, shorter cycle times again improve operator efficiency.

There are many balers available from small vertical models right up to huge horizontal balers generally used by large recycling companies. The smaller models will be more than adequate for many commercial, office and retail applications. They take up little space and are very efficient to run.

Ultimately, the greatest advantage of purchasing a baler is a saving on waste disposal, particular the emptying of skips and bins. The calculator on the reverse of this guide provides for a personal illustration of the savings available. Please complete and submit, with no obligation, the details for a personal quotation from HSM.

Of course, you are also doing your bit for the environment by recycling materials that would other wise go to landfill saving both cost for you and reducing long term problems in the future.