Technology is constantly developing and adding convenience to our lives that we didn’t know we needed. We see these developments in practically every industry, and waste management is no exception. Among the many products and services waste management providers offer, one of the most important for customers and business owners is waste monitoring technology.
Businesses usually have two choices when it comes to waste containment, depending on their requirements: dumpsters and compactors. Compactors are an important asset for any business that produces large amounts of waste. A compactor reduces the volume of waste through compression so more material can be stored in an enclosed container, decreasing collection frequency. As technology continues to develop within the waste management industry, more compactors are being equipped with monitoring devices. In addition to allowing companies to learn about their waste habits, these devices help identify cost savings opportunities, monitor compactor equipment integrity, and collect data that can used to recognize and analyze trends.
Cost Savings
One benefit of using compactor monitoring technology is creating cost-improvement strategies for your company. It allows you to analyze the type and amount of waste a company produces so the correct-sized compactor can be selected according to needs. Appropriate sizing cuts costs for businesses by ensuring they’re not overpaying for a larger compactor container than they need. If the selected compactor is too small, the company would pay for additional hauling fees for the increased frequency of pickups needed to keep up with waste production. Once the data for a company’s waste patterns is evaluated and the properly sized compactor is chosen, the waste disposal process will operate at maximum efficiency.
Easily Monitor Equipment Integrity
The monitoring technology within waste compactors has the benefit of being able to conveniently measure the machinery’s oil level, temperature and pressure, indicating when something might be wrong. If a company is alerted to a potential problem with equipment health, they can make arrangements and schedule preventive maintenance before something breaks or needs urgent repair. These simple actions reduce equipment downtime and cut maintenance costs through routine checks rather than emergency repairs.
Analyze Waste Trends
With compactor monitoring equipment, there’s a dedicated team supervising the status of your compactor at all times. The monitor continuously sends accumulated data to the team through a cloud-based system. The team then analyzes the data and looks for trends, providing insight on potential opportunities or issues.
Companies might experience an increased need for waste disposal management around specific times of the year. For example, restaurants usually see an increase in their waste production around Valentine’s Day. Proactive measures need to be taken to make sure there is enough capacity to contain the increase in refuse and that equipment health is optimal to avoid any delay or distraction due to waste disposal issues during this busy time.
Monitoring technology has become essential to maximizing the efficiency of waste disposal in most industries. Waste management service providers, such as Waste Harmonics, offer monitoring technology directly through compactor rental agreements. If you’re attending WasteExpo this year and are interested in learning more about the benefits of compactor monitoring and iWaste technology, visit Waste Harmonics at booth #1963. We look forward to seeing you at the show!
Michael Hess is founder and chief executive officer of Waste Harmonics, a Rochester, New York-based company that provides customized waste and recycling management solutions for businesses across North America. Michael leads Waste Harmonics’ team of waste/recycling, technology, logistics and customer service experts who manage waste and recycling services — which deliver significant costs savings — for single- and multi-location businesses in a wide range of categories, including retail, grocery, restaurant, travel center, logistics, distribution and shipping.
Prior to founding Waste Harmonics, Hess served as vice president of U.S. operations for Capital Environmental Resource Inc., a solid waste collection and disposal company with $120 million in revenue and operations in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. During his tenure at Capital Environment, Hess served as an integral part of the acquisition, startup and integration of 11 solid-waste companies for more than two and a half years. Michael acquired Waste Harmonics from Capital Environment in 2001 and has since grown the business from a solely Northeastern U.S. focus to serving customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, call 585-924-9640, email [email protected] or visit wasteharmonics.com.