Waste Management will operate a pilot program to introduce Rotopress waste collection trailers for the first time in North America.


Waste Management anticipates the program will provide greater operational flexibility and reduce trips, fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance costs. The pilot program will start in Houston, Texas, followed by pilot projects in San Diego, Calif., Sacramento, Calif., Milwaukee, Wis., and Camden, N.J.

The Rotopress modular technology, combined with a decoupled tractor-trailer configuration using natural gas as its fuel source, provides a number of operational and environmental benefits such as:

-Greater Payload: Rotopress is significantly lighter than most compaction-plate vehicles and allows the vehicle to carry up to 14 tons

-Decoupled Chassis: The decoupled tractor-trailer configuration allows for better management of assets as chassis and body can be replaced separately on a more effective schedule.

-Ease of operation: A semi-truck trailer has a 40% smaller turning radius making it more maneuverable, which is desirable in residential areas. In the event of a breakdown, the truck and module can be separated.

-Improved maintenance costs: The corkscrew design moves waste to the front of the body preventing the rear axle from being overloaded while keeping sufficient weight on the front axle. This reduces tire wear. There is also less stress on the suspension and far fewer moving parts compared to a conventional rear loader.

-No odor or leakage: The Rotopress does not directly press any additional liquid out of the waste, but binds it by permanently mixing it with the dry material. This reduces the amount of free liquid in the system, lowering damage to the body that can be caused by corrosion and reducing leakage and odors.

Rotopress, manufactured by Faun, a German manufacturer of waste disposal vehicles, has been in operation across Europe for more than eight decades.

"The Rotopress will help contribute toward our corporate sustainability goal to increase fuel efficiency by 15% and decrease emissions by 15% by 2020," says Eric Woods, vice president, fleet and logistics. "Our plan is to save 350 million gallons of fuel and reduce 3.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2020."