How to Pick a Dumpster Size for Better Waste Management
Today we’ll discuss waste solutions and some scenarios most businesses find themselves in. Do operations teams need to be answering some hard questions like, what dumpster size makes sense now? Is your waste full of heavy debris? What’s the permanent or long-term solution for the business’s needs? What factors need to be considered?
The idea is to make these decisions as painless as possible. Through this guide below, we aim to help businesses streamline the decision-making process and get the right equipment for the job.
What Dumpster Size I Need?
Deciding which dumpster size is right for your business requires an evaluation of your waste and waste management plan.
The largest factors to consider when selecting a dumpster size are:
- What you throw away
- How much are you throwing away
- Nearest haul station or landfill
These all play a part in informing the need for a particular dumpster size. Typical sizes range from 1 cubic yard read load dumpsters, to 50-60 yard open-top dumpsters.
3 Factors To Consider When Choosing a Dumpster
Type of Waste
The first factor is all about accessing what is in your dumpster regularly. This will help dictate the type of dumpster needed AND the potential for mobile waste compaction services like Smash My Trash. Some of the most common materials with high compact volumes are:
- Wood Pallets
- Cardboard
- Paper Products
- Glass Products
- Sheet Metal
- Scrap Wood or Metal
- Organic Material (tree limbs, brush, etc.)
The type of waste dictates the necessity for a smaller or larger dumpster size. For example, a construction site will typically require a larger dumpster size over a office due to the size of the waste. Wood, scrap metal, and demolished materials take up a lot more space than paper materials. Not every example is as obvious as paper vs wood materials. Most businesses have a variety of waste types, which highlights the importance of evaluating all 3 factors.
Dumpster Location
More factors to consider is proximity of your business to a landfill or loading station, and the space your business has available. These will determine base monthly pricing and the potential for dumpsters as your business evolves.
If your distance to a landfill or loading station is considerably far, hauler pricing is going to be inflated. The inverse is also true, the closer your business is to a waste disposal area, the less it will cost to collect and dispose of the waste. This means if your business is closer to a landfill, you can get away with utilizing a smaller waste bin. However, if your business is far away from a landfill or station, consider a larger waste bin paired with a mobile waste compaction service.
Utilizing a service like Smash My Trash with a large open-top dumpster only improves the cost efficiency of every haul. If your dumpster distance is too far to afford multiple trips to the landfill each month, SMT (Smash My Trash) can keep haulers costs down.
Remember to consider the outdoor/indoor space available at your facility as well. Open-top dumpsters require a lot of space to place on the property and to haul away.
Total Waste Volume
The total volume of waste generated is another cost factor haulers will account for. This is because businesses are typically charged based on the size or weight of the waste inside the bin. In instances of overflowing dumpsters, additional charges could be tacked on to the monthly bill. SMT services assist in keeping the waste volume below the line requirements set by the waste management companies.
Waste volume is a factor that heavily depends on the type of waste inside the dumpster. Dense waste like organic matter, textiles, and certain metals naturally fill the can waste volume.
Items like wood pallets, clunky furniture, cardboard, and packaging aren’t properly utilizing the capacity of a bin. They take up unnecessary space and can quickly eat up precious bin space. These objects require additional attention to achieve the actual waste volume potential.
SMT services keep waste below the line requirements by compacting waste to a more manageable volume. Our Smash truck’s service open-top dumpsters on location, multiple times a month. A continuous approach to waste compaction allows businesses to get the maximum capacity out of every bin.
Roll-Off Dumpster Sizes
How Dumpster Compaction Reduces Waste Volume & Maximizes Your Dumpster Space
An alternative solution to upgrading dumpster sizes is partnering with Smash My Trash. Mobile waste dumpster compaction works to maximize available dumpster space through a series of visits.
Our mobile compaction vehicle known as a “Smash Truck®” parks behind open-top dumpsters and compacts waste inside the dumpster. This process has proven to reduce dumpster waste volume by up to 70% on average. What this means is more trash in every haul, and less visits from the hauler. Our service is proven to save client’s money on their total waste expenditure.
Make the Most of Your Dumpster with Smash My Trash
Understanding the bigger picture behind a businesses waste management operation can lead to better results down the road. Identifying the type of waste generated, the infrastructure that houses it, and the flow of collection all inform the decisions that go into adjusting a waste management plan.
If your interested in finding out if Smash My Trash can be a solution for your current waste management system, click here to contact a franchise in your local area.
