A manual trash compactor is a material handling device that is used to flatten 30 and 55 gallon drums.  It crushes the drum into the equivalent of a small, flat metal disk.  Such a tool has proven invaluable to a wide range of facilities that are challenged with drum disposal on a daily basis.  It is much easier to move a flat circle of metal than it is to attempt to dispose of a full-sized empty metal drum. 

Manual trash compactors work with a very simple design.  The basic mechanism that operates the device is a manual ratcheting system.  An operating lever is attached to this system.  When the lever is pulled, the mechanism generates a compression force of up to 7,000 lbs.  Ironically, this takes very little human effort to achieve, because the force is being generated by what amounts to a pulley system within the mechanism.

Such power is more than sufficient to crush a drum without putting a strain on the arms and back of employees who operate these devices.  The compacting plates that do the actual drum crushing can also be adjusted with selection levers to fit different sized drums.  Additional features include tilt-and-roll portability.  Each compactor is mounted on two wheels that allow it to be moved at will.  When the device is being used, or when it is not in use, the ratchet lever can be locked in the UP position with a locking pin.

Manual trash compactors can be found in any type of facility where raw materials arrive stored in drums.  Many such materials, such as oil and fuel, naturally come in liquid form.  There are also many materials that are shipped in solid powder or granular forms as well.  There are medical supplies and drugs that are shipped in drums.  There are also materials used to ship cosmetics that are shipped as powders stored in drums.  In agriculture, both pesticides and fertilizers are stored and shipped in drums.  Any facility that receives a shipment of these materials is going to have to find a way to dispose of these containers or get them to recycling once they are emptied of their contents. 

It is easy to see how quickly this can lead to a massive debris problem, not to mention the cost in time and money trying to move awkwardly sized containers.   

A manual trash compactor brings immediate benefits by reducing the sheer cubic volume of metal waste materials.  When we compress a drum to the equivalent of something the size of the lid that once covered it, it becomes much easier to manipulate.  Hauling it out in the trash will not cost as much, and placing it in a landfill will not consume as much land.  Even better, it is easier to move this metal to recycling facilities where it can be put to much better use than it ever would be in the ground. 

Manual trash compactors also benefits the process flow of the workplace itself by reducing clutter in production areas and making it easier for workers to quickly complete tasks.  Since manual units are much less expensive than electrical equivalents, the front end costs are much lower as well.