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WASTE HANDLING Waste balers – where do they fit in the waste handling jigsaw? In an industry crowded with technological innovations, the value of old faithful waste balers often gets overlooked, believes managing director of Riverside Waste Machinery Jonathan Oldfield. But where exactly do baling presses fit into the waste handling spectrum, and what do they have to offer? here can be no denying that the world of waste handling has come a long way. If we look at the past two to three years alone we see the UK creeping ever closer to fulfilling various EU recycling targets, there is now greater appreciation for the commodity value of materials we would once have merely considered rub- bish, and the circular economy is, gradu- ally, developing some real substance in everyday business. Of course, the further back we reflect, the more impressive the progress seems. For instance, we may once have consid- ered refuse collection vehicles as noth- ing but 'smelly bin lorries'. Now they are clean, energy-efficient technologies of sleek, aero-dynamic construction, with some councils going so far as to use them as communication tools in local communities. The waste and recycling industry, in the advent of new challenges, has sat up and made its mark. So where do waste balers fit in? In all honesty, they can get somewhat overlooked when it comes to recycling equipment. They're perhaps not consid- ered as ground-breaking as some tech- nologies. A high resolution near infra- red optical sorter, for example, which ensures the precise and automated sepa- ration of targeted materials using identi- fication algorithms and high-pressure air jets, will understandably attract atten- tion. And it makes sense when an ener- gy-efficient waste shredder hits the headlines because it can process bulky untreated material down to a fine 50mm particle size, consequently creating an alternative to fossil fuels. Perhaps waste baling technologies just don't seem as revolutionary. They predominantly handle packaging waste and dry recyclables, after all, so many would feel there's nothing particularly novel on that front. Plus, from a tech- nical standpoint, they're quite simple, although that's because they don't need to be anything more. That's not to say that baler manu- facturers shy away from innovation. Only recently a horizontal machine was introduced to the market, for instance, which has four times more throughput capacity than a vertical press. It also runs on oil-impregnated nylon blocks, rather than a roller bearing system that requires regular greasing and is sus- ceptible to water ingress. This means less maintenance, greater uptime, and a machine that is suitable for outdoor operation, if required. Such engineering advancements in waste baling may not break the same boundaries as the aforementioned exam- ples. But they drive efficiencies to make the operator's life easier, safer and more profitable, and ultimately, by facilitating greater recycling capabilities, they better protect the environment too. Some people really acknowledge these benefits and place balers in fairly high regard. They note, perhaps, that they're the 'tortoise' of the industry – a technological concept that, in itself, has been around a long time, but one that steadily continues to drive recycling success. Others remember the advantages of using a baler when they take the time to really think about it, otherwise they wouldn't have invested in such machin- ery in the first place. However, very much like a mobile phone, the baler has probably now become a part of everyday life, leaving its true value somewhat overlooked. Then, of course, there are those who haven't acknowledged the benefits, or who consider a baler purely in terms of capital outlay. In this scenario, it is the role of baler manufacturers and dis- tributors to fill in the gaps and educate, evidence and inform. Why? Because some people may genuinely not realise or appreciate where balers fit into the waste-handling jigsaw. In truth, every business needs or could benefit from a baler, to some degree, which perhaps extends the relevance of the mobile phone analogy. The technol- ogy doesn't just exist for large, high- profile blue chip companies and, unlike a high-end optical sorter or a 20 tonne waste-to-energy shredder, a baler isn't something that only projects of a certain size can afford. Yes, heavy duty and mill-size balers can produce bales of up to 650kg, and admittedly machines of this size lend themselves to larger waste handling scenarios. However, the industry also offers compact baling presses, with a 14 Local Authority Waste & Recycling December 2014 T " Like a mobile phone, the baler has become part of everyday life "

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