A compactor is for trash and a baler is for recyclables. A compactor crushes waste into a container so it takes fewer trips to haul away. A baler presses a single recyclable material, most often cardboard, into dense tied bales that a recycler can pick up.
Many businesses need one or the other. Businesses that produce a lot of both trash and cardboard usually need both. The right choice depends on what you throw away, how much of it there is, and how often you pay to have it hauled.
What does a compactor do?
A compactor uses a hydraulic ram to push waste into a container and compress it. Loose trash is mostly air, so compaction fits far more into each load. When the container is full, your hauler takes it away, typically on a roll-off truck, empties it and brings it back.
The main types are built for different waste:
- Self-contained compactors are sealed and liquid-tight, so they suit wet waste from restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and hospitals.
- Stationary compactors stay bolted in place and fill a detachable container. They suit high volumes of dry trash at warehouses, manufacturers and large retailers.
- Pre-crusher and auger compactors break down bulky material such as pallets, furniture and wood.
- Apartment compactors sit under a trash chute in multi-family buildings.
Choose a compactor when your main problem is trash: dumpsters that overflow, frequent pickups, or odors and pests around open containers.
What does a baler do?
A baler compresses one recyclable material at a time into a dense block, called a bale, and ties it so it holds its shape. Bales stack neatly, store in a small space and load easily onto a recycler's truck.
The main types are sized by volume:
- Vertical balers are loaded from the front and have a small footprint. They are the standard choice for store back rooms. A 60-inch vertical baler commonly makes cardboard bales of about 800 to 1,200 lb.
- Horizontal auto-tie balers are fed continuously, often by conveyor, and tie bales automatically. They suit distribution centers and plants with very high volumes.
- Two-ram balers handle several materials on one machine, including plastics and metals, and suit recycling operations.
Choose a baler when you produce steady volumes of cardboard, plastic film or other recyclables. Recyclers commonly pay for baled cardboard, though prices move with the market. Even when the payment is small, every bale is material you are no longer paying to haul as trash.
Compactor vs. baler at a glance
| Compactor | Baler | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles | Mixed trash, wet or dry | One recyclable at a time: cardboard, plastic film, metals |
| Output | A full container of compacted waste | Dense, tied bales |
| Where it goes | Landfill or transfer station, taken by your hauler | A recycler |
| Main saving | Fewer trash hauls | Less trash to haul, plus possible payment for bales |
| Usual location | Outside on a concrete pad, or in a trash room | Inside, in a back room or on the dock |
| Typical users | Restaurants, hotels, hospitals, apartments, plants | Retail, grocery, distribution centers, manufacturers |
When do you need both?
You need both when cardboard is filling a container that should be holding trash. This is common in retail, grocery and distribution, where every delivery arrives in boxes. Loose cardboard takes up a lot of room, and when it goes in with the trash you are often charged trash rates to haul it.
Putting a baler beside a compactor separates the two streams. The baler takes the cardboard and film, the compactor takes what is left, and the compactor fills more slowly because the bulkiest material is gone.
How do you decide?
Start with three questions:
- What is in your dumpster? If it is mostly cardboard or plastic film, start with a baler. If it is mostly mixed or wet trash, start with a compactor.
- How often is it hauled? Several pickups a week is a strong sign that compaction or baling will pay off.
- How much space do you have? Vertical balers and apartment compactors fit in tight indoor spaces. Larger compactors need an outdoor pad with truck access.
You do not have to buy equipment to find out. USA Compactors rents compactors and balers with delivery, installation, maintenance and repairs included, and sells new and reconditioned units. Tell us what you throw away and how often it is hauled, and we will recommend the right setup. Call 855-603-6663 or request a free quote.
Common questions
Can I put cardboard in a trash compactor?
You can, but it usually costs more. Cardboard in a compactor is hauled and charged as trash. Baled cardboard goes to a recycler, who will often pay for it.
Can a baler handle regular trash?
No. Balers are made for clean, single-material recyclables. Mixed or wet trash belongs in a compactor.
Does USA Compactors haul the trash or the bales?
No. We supply and service the equipment. Your hauler empties the compactor and your recycler collects the bales. We work with many haulers and recyclers around the country, so if you need one, we can point you to someone in your area.