What NOT to put in your PTR Compactor

  • 23

    Sep

    What NOT to put in your PTR Compactor

    Our last blog post explained the similarities and differences between Stationary and Self-Contained Compactors. Now, we’re going to delve into another important issue: what not to put in your trash compactor.

    PTR compactors are an extremely effective method of compressing and reducing waste, which saves your organization costly trips to the landfill, and in turn decreases your carbon footprint. There are a few rules to keeping your compactor running optimally and greatly limiting the chances of operator injury. Downtime and injuries are productivity killers and eat away at your company’s bottomline. Prevent them by following these key guidelines and thoroughly training all staff to do the same.

    DONT #1: LIMBS
    Employees should be instructed to never, under any circumstances, put their hands, arms or legs into the trash compactor. There have been critical injuries occur each year due to improper use of waste compactors. It’s imperative operators understand to never place limbs inside the compactor. Instead, there should be an appropriate tool that can be used to reach inside the compactor in the event that something needs to be retrieved out of it.

    DON’T #2: BATTERIES & TOXIC MATERIALS
    Putting batteries into the compactor contaminates the rest of the waste inside, due to the fact that batteries contain highly toxic contents. They must be disposed of separately. Any other toxic substances, liquids or biohazard material needs to be disposed of according to their own safety guidelines.

    DON’T #3: AEROSOL SPRAYS
    Aerosol sprays are also very dangerous to place inside a trash compactor. When compressed, the spray can may combust. It’s not only a major safety risk, but it could lead to severe damage to the equipment as well. Even small aerosol spray cans should not go in the compactor.

    DON’T #4: FLAMMABLE MATERIALS
    Keep all flammable materials far away from your trash compactor. Even a small chance something may explode inside the compactor is not worth the risk. Always err on the side of caution and dispose of flammable materials separately, in the proper manner.

    DON’T #5: LIQUID
    Liquid waste is ok for Self- Contained compactors, however, they’re ideally made for wet waste, or waste that creates liquid when compressed. The separate container will collect this liquid. If the substance is completely in liquid form from the start, ideally it should be disposed of directly into a liquid trash receptacle.

    If you have any questions about the proper use of your PTR compactor, reach out to your Account Manager directly, or contact customer service.