by Matt Roskie
Opened in 1988, the 250-acre Salem County Improvement Authority (SCIA) landfill in south west New Jersey takes in on average 500–600 tons (453–544 tonnes) of waste a day, from all of Salem County. The landfill accepts construction/demolition debris, railroad ties and municipal solid waste.
 The Bomag BC1172RB-2 can push multiple tractor trailer loads with its powerful Deutz diesel TCD 2015V08 water-cooled engine |
In conjunction with its energy company, SCIA converts the methane gas from its landfill into electricity through a 1.9 MW generator. It transfers excess methane gas to the nearby Salem County Community College building to use in place of propane for decorative and scientific glass blowing. SCIA also promotes numerous recycling programs and advocates the 3 Rs of solid waste, which are:
- 1) recycle by turning trash into treasure
- 2) reuse to conserve our natural resources, and
- 3) reduce to save landfill space.
- 2) reuse to conserve our natural resources, and
‘Landfill space is very valuable,’ says Melinda J. Williams, assistant director of SCIA Solid Waste Division and Salem County recycling/clean communities and household hazardous waste coordinator. ‘Our goal is to recycle as much material as possible to keep it out of our landfill.’ Saving valuable air space is a goal for every landfill. Since landfill facilities remain the primary method of refuse disposal, they require the most efficient method of refuse compaction possible. By reducing air voids and attaining optimal refuse density, landfills are able to increase their capacity and lower overall costs.
To maximize its use of space, SCIA inspects each truckload of trash entering the facility to ensure that it contains no recyclables. If recyclables of any kind are in the load, they are removed. The authority has also found that using the right refuse compaction equipment optimizes space utilization and will increase the landfill’s lifespan.
Finding the right equipment
SCIA contacted Jesco, their local Bomag dealer, and worked with them to research the refuse compactor for their site. Prior to the purchase of a Bomag BC1172RB-2, SCIA paid a visit to a nearby facility which uses this piece of equipment – the Cape May MUA – and also to a landfill facility located in Broome County, New York.
 SCIA has seen an increase of 35% in production since the arrival of the Bomag compactor |
‘These trips were very informative,’ says Lynn Schmidt, site supervisor for the SCIA. ‘We were able to test the Bomag ourselves and ask the operators questions about the machine.’
In addition, while visiting the Broome County facility, SCIA saw first hand how the GeoLogic GPS system works. The GeoLogic GPS system allows the operator to monitor compaction and wheel track coverage. In addition, the system alerts the operator when compaction is complete.
‘You don’t want to over-compact the trash,’ says Dave Cobb, assistant site supervisor of the SCIA. ‘Over compacting will lead to fluff. Fluff is when the trash starts to become loose again. This is a big problem because you increase air voids again and have loose trash that will blow around.’
 SCIA has seen an increase of 35% in production since the arrival of the Bomag compactor |
Not only does SCIA plan on using the GeoLogic GPS system for meeting its compaction needs, but it also plans to use it for a variety of other things. ‘This system will allow us to track where things are in the landfill,’ says Cobb. ‘For instance, if we have a load of asbestos dumped, we can mark it with the GPS unit. This information is then sent to our office computers and kept on record.’
‘It’s very important to map out the entire site and to know where everything is,’ says Schmidt. ‘If we need to drill a hole for our methane gas pipeline, we need to know what we are going to hit. We don’t want the guys drilling through asbestos and having that come out of the hole. We can also use GPS to determine our grades and slopes, plot the next cell and track what’s being dumped in each cell.’
The 120,000 lb (54,431 kg) BC1172RB-2 is the largest refuse compactor by Bomag. Its high static weight, efficient four-wheel hydrostatic drive system and unique compaction wheels with adjustable scraper bars give it the power and performance required to move and compact refuse productively.
‘I can actually see the tyre tracks in the trash with the Bomag,’ says Robert Norton, a SCIA machine operator. ‘It’s a huge benefit to know where you’ve compacted. I can also pack twice as much in less time compared to the other compactors we have.’
The 72 teeth per wheel gives the Bomag compactor good traction on slopes. ‘We have a three to one slope and currently, our landfill is 125 feet (38.1 m) high. It will grow to 155 feet (47 m) high within the next few years,’ says Norton. ‘The Bomag has no problem compacting vertically or horizontally. There is zero slippage with this machine.’ Additionally the BC1172RB-2 boasts 598 horsepower with its Deutz diesel TCD 2015V08 water-cooled engine. ‘This machine has plenty of power,’ continues Norton. The operators’ station offers excellent all-around visibility, heated and air-suspended seat, easy-to-view control panel, joystick steering control, a load sensing system that provides smooth joystick and blade control and low cab noise levels. ‘I run this machine all day long, yet I’m not tired at the end of the day,’ says Norton.
Uptime is crucial at the landfill. Therefore the drive components of the Bomag BC1172 RB-2 are protected within the sealed frame design, the hydrostatic drive is virtually wear free, the oil filter system extends hydraulic oil change intervals up to 2000 operating hours and the engine cooling air intake is over 14 feet high, well out of the way of dust and debris. ‘This machine is also very easy to maintain,’ continues Norton.
SCIA has already seen overall improvements at its landfill since the arrival of the Bomag compactor. ‘We’ve seen an increase of 35% in both compaction and productivity,’ says Cobb. ‘We expect this percentage to increase each month as we grow accustomed to the machine’s capabilities.’
Matt Roskie, Account Executive, Advantage Marketing
e-mail: mroskie@advantagead.net
