Compact-Sized Vertical Baler can compact capped PET bottles.
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Press Release Summary:
Featuring twin chamber design, Orwak 5040 employs dual-phase PET bottle compaction involving perforating needles. Compaction ratio for PET bottles is up to 10:1, and one bale of PET contains 350-500 bottles. Machine also makes stackable compact bales of aluminum cans, without any tying needed to keep bales together. One bale of 35 cl cans contains ~650 cans, and compaction ratio is 6:1. Compactor produces 400 x 400 mm bales, adjustable from 350-550 mm in height, that weigh 10-14 kg.
Original Press Release:
Orwak Introduces Model 5040 - a PET/Can Crusher
Orwak 5040 - a specially designed PET/can crusher
In a couple of weeks there will be a new player in the field of balers, when Orwak introduces the PET/can crusher Orwak 5040 in the standard assortment. Orwak 5040 is the only compact sized vertical baler in the market that can compact PET bottles with the cap on! The introduction is based on a Californian success story.
Last year Orwak developed a new baler specifically constructed for PET bottles and aluminum cans. It was a large special order from Tomra Pacific for a challenging recycling project in the US. Tomra Pacific - Tomra's subsidiary in California - has created the concept rePLANET and it is a solution designed for the deposit system established in the state of California.
To encourage recycling of recyclable beverage containers California has instituted a deposit system. California Redemption Value (CRV) is the deposit, which the consumer pays on the purchase of beverages with plastic, glass, aluminum and bimetal containers and which is reimbursed, if the container is brought to a recycling center. When returning empty bottles and cans to recycling centers the consumer receives the California Refund Value, which equals or often surpasses the Redemption Value once paid for the containers in the store.
California passed its first Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act in 1986. The refund value gradually increased over the years from 1 cent for plastic bottles in 1987. Effective on January 1, 2007 the refund value increased to 5 cents for small and 10 cents for large containers in California and this is where Tomra's concept rePLANET comes into the picture!
To facilitate the collection of CRV-containers, rePLANET recycling centers were established in 2007 at strategic locations close to malls and supermarkets throughout the state. During daytime hours staff is on hand at the centers to assist the consumers. To be able to handle and store the growing volumes of collected PET bottles and aluminum cans the centers needed a compaction solution. Orwak - belonging to the Tomra group - got the assignment to develop a special compactor for this purpose. As space is limited in the recycling centers, one of the requirements was to design a small machine that takes up minimum floor space. The result was a twin chamber baler that looks like a small Orwak 5070.
To compact aluminum cans a strong and robust machine is needed. Orwak 5040 makes a stackable compact bale of aluminum cans. No tying is needed to keep the bales together, but they will easily break apart if required at a processing center. One bale of 35 cl cans contains approximately 650 cans and the compaction ratio when crushing cans in Orwak 5040 is 6:1.
PET bottles are tough to compact with a lasting result, as they contain a lot of air and have a tendency to "bounce back" after compaction. The process of compacting PET bottles is divided into two phases. In the first phase needles come out of the press plate, the press plate goes down and perforates the bottles. When the press plate goes down the second time the needles have been pulled in and the PET bottles are compacted with full force. Due to this two-step-process Orwak 5040 is able to crush PET bottles with the caps on, which is a unique feature for such a small vertical baler! The compaction ratio when compacting PET bottles is up to 10:1 and one bale of PET contains 350-500 bottles depending on the size of the bottles.
The bale height can be adjusted to meet individual requirements in the range 350-550 mm. Orwak 5040 produces small (400 mm x 400 mm x 350-550 mm) and light (10-14 kg) bales, which are convenient to handle and to store. A panel with buttons indicating the PET mode and the can mode makes the operation flexible.
Today there are approximately 250 rePLANET centers in the state of California and Orwak 5040s are so far successful in operation in about 100 recycling centers.You can only imagine what difference Orwak 5040 would make in your business! For more information about Orwak 5040, please contact us or download a leaflet on www.orwak.com
