How Wastech Is Helping Crush Surging Waste Volumes

Australians create a lot of waste.

In fact, according to the 2022 National Waste Report by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), we generated 75.8 million tonnes of waste in Financial Year 2020/21 – that’s roughly 2.95 tonnes per person. 1

More broadly, over the past 15 years, waste generation has surged by 15 percent, placing significant pressure on local councils, retailers and private organisations responsible for waste management and disposal.

Despite the best efforts of waste recovery and management teams, their existing compactors and handling equipment often struggle to deal with the sheer volume and size of items approved for landfill.

In the next 18-years, the nation’s population is forecast to grow from approximately 26.5 million to 33.1 million, which will further increase waste levels by virtue of our organic consumerism.

When considering these numbers and the DCCEEW’s per person waste data, this represents millions of extra tonnes of yearly waste to effectively dispose of across the next two decades.

As such, now is the time for swift action among councils and private industry to update old compactor and waste disposal equipment to keep pace with rising yearly volumes.

Waste Disposal Challenges in Australia

All kinds of items arrive at council depots and go to landfill each year, and from a global-perspective, Australians are well-educated when it comes to knowing what can and can’t be thrown out.

Bulky household and office goods such as couches, tables, beds, and wardrobes, along with awkward electronic items like flat-screen TVs and old computing equipment contribute significantly to landfill waste.

As the Australian appetite for bigger and better household items has grown steadily in recent years, unfortunately the compactor machinery that supports end-of-use waste minimisation and disposal hasn’t.

Some of Australia’s biggest brands are feeling the pinch too, especially large retail organisations that import bulky goods or pack consumer products locally, which inevitably requires powerful waste reduction and compaction equipment to suitably deal with logistics wastage, like that of oversized cardboard boxes and packing materials.

The Cost of Inefficient Waste Disposal

The inability to dispose of bulky waste efficiently has serious repercussions, as it drives up handling costs as specialist equipment becomes necessary.

Additionally, the extra freightage of oversized goods leads to avoidable carbon emissions, further impacting the environment.

For councils and frontline staff, the influx of waste items with larger payloads is causing significant productivity challenges at depots, stores and transport facilities.

Introducing Wastech’s Best-In-Class Compactor Solutions

To alleviate the mounting pressures faced by councils and brands, Wastech offers a leading range of waste compactors and handling equipment that can be rapidly deployed nationwide.

The patented Shark Bulk Waste Compactors are the most powerful waste minimisation units available locally, as they can effectively handle up to 90 per cent of waste arriving at council depots and generated by retailers, which provides a solution to the mounting waste management issues they are facing.

Features and Advantages of the Shark Bulk Waste Compactors

The Shark’s oversized 5m³ foldable hopper and heavy-duty blade features a 50-tonne compaction force, ensuring maximum waste density during its 30-60 second cycle time. This enhanced compaction capability improves productivity, reduces the frequency of waste collection and lowers transport costs.

The unit is also powered by an energy-efficient generator system, consuming 30 per cent less energy than traditional compactors, while being able to handle more waste materials in a single load – including up to nine tonnes of insulation bats, seven tonnes of bulky wood frame furniture and six tonnes of difficult plastics and cardboards.

The Shark’s 30m³ bin can be easily trailer-mounted, creating a fully mobile unit towable behind common council vehicles like a Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50. This flexibility allows for easy pop-up compaction across multiple sites.

When it is not in use, the Shark prioritises staff safety by automatically closing its hopper to mitigate incidents that can cause injury or damage to the unit in unsupervised locations.

Minimising Waste Management Gaps with Wastech’s Shark Compactors

In light of Australia’s escalating waste generation and disposal challenges, Wastech’s Shark Bulk Waste Compactors present a ground-breaking solution.

These compactor units effectively handle a vast majority of waste, easing the burden on councils and private industry.

With their exceptional compaction capabilities, energy efficiency, mobility and safety features, the Shark compactors pave the way for a more sustainable and efficient waste management system in Australia.

You can watch a video of the Shark compactor unit in action via this link.

If you would like to learn more about the innovative Shark Bulk Waste Compactors offered by Wastech Engineering, its applications across different industries, the procurement process and product delivery timings, or discuss a separate waste management matter, please reach out to us at: info@wastech.com.au