What Should NEVER Go Into A Commercial Compactor

There are so many benefits to having a commercial compactor onsite at your facility, and you can read about those in this post. Once you have the equipment, it is important to keep it in top working condition, and one easy way to work towards that is to pay attention to what is going into your compactor. Let's look at a few things that should never enter a commercial compactor.

Body Parts. This may seem obvious, but at no point should any body part ever enter a compactor. If you need to reach something that is in the machine, we suggest using a stick or grabber, but never your arm. This puts you at risk of losing an appendage.

Flammable Materials. Any material that is considered flammable or potentially explosive should not be inserted into the compactor. Any fires or explosions inside of the compactor could be dangerous both for the functionality of the machine and for anyone standing nearby.

Liquids. Self-Contained compactors can handle wet-waste, but for the most part it's best to avoid putting liquids into a compactor. They will spread throughout the machine and create a bad odor. Liquids really won't hurt your compactor, they'll just get gross. (If you do have a nasty smell or a dirty compactor, check out our compactor and pad cleaning service here!)

Batteries. The internal ingredients of batteries are considered to be highly toxic when released into the environment. This is why there are regulations on recycling batteries. Avoid contaminating the compactor and its recyclable contents by refraining from placing batteries into your compactor.

Aerosol Sprays. The contents of aerosol sprays are highly compressed to the point that they will explode if compressed more in a compactor. It is best to avoid placing these types of containers into the compactor.