As businesses expand and change, so too does the garbage they generate. Apartments, condos, and new multi-family residences might want to offer better waste management to their communities. Regardless of your reasons, if you find yourself asking the question: “Should I get a garbage compactor?” below are the three follow-up questions to ask yourself, your team, or the board on whether a compactor makes sense for your specific situation and operation, and what to expect during the process.

How Much Garbage Do You Generate?

The growth of a commercial enterprise or real estate management often means the growth of the amount of garbage produced. Where once a few garbage bins or a front-loading dumpster would suffice, now those containers are overflowing long before pickup. So, how much waste are you currently generating, and how much do you think it will grow? Try to estimate in cubic yards. As a rule of thumb from our roll-off dumpster sizing blog, one cubic yard is about 5 or 6 standard 13-gallon trash bags. This will be important later when talking about size requirements.

Can You Reduce Costs and Increase Efficiency?

If you’re creating a lot of garbage, getting a compactor becomes not only a question of dealing with higher demands but higher costs, both to your budget and your team. Getting a compactor will mean:

• Fewer Garbage Pickups: Compactors show their real value in the long run, lowering costs by reducing the number of garbage pickups. Garbage can generally be compacted in a 3:1 ratio, meaning reducing the number of pickups by at least that (depending on container size).
• Better Worker Practices: Once they’ve been trained properly on compactor operations, workers and janitorial staff will appreciate the ease of using a compactor over hauling garbage out to the dumpsters, especially during bad New England weather.
• Improved Operations: Sometimes efficiency has to do with the outside of your business as well. The installation of a compactor can help deal with unsightly dumpsters and simplify the literal backend of your business.

Do You Have the Room for a Compactor Installation?

Of course, you’ll need somewhere to put the compactor. This can be as easy as consulting with a contractor during a build, but more work will be required for an existing business or residential complex. You’ll need space around the compactor, in front, and overhead for the truck to pick up the unit. Most compactor units have three-phase power supply (480 V) requirements, but single-phase lower voltage units also exist. Learn more about sizing in our blog, Getting a Recycling or Trash Compactor for Your Business.

At LeBoeuf Rubbish Removal, we can help you get a garbage compactor, install it, empty it, and service & maintain it. We also offer traditional garbage and recycling services, along with recycling compactors. Learn more about why we’re the best garbage hauler for your business and how we work with apartments in your area. Contact us today to get started on the perfect compactor for your business. We’re at your disposal.