The management of cardboard waste is a recurring problem for many facilities, particularly in the health and social care sector. Between daily deliveries, limited storage space, collection costs, and the need for impeccable hygiene, waste management can quickly become complex. To address these challenges, ESPASS nursing home in Podensac, France, opted to install a cardboard baler, supplied by Sacria, Orwak’s French sister company, to optimize its waste management. This decision has profoundly improved its daily operations.
ESPASS (Public Establishments and Services for Support and Care for Seniors) is a public institution dedicated to supporting and caring for the elderly in the South Gironde region in France. The facility in Podensac has the capacity to accommodate more than 200 people in different care units within its newly built premises.
Why a baler in the healthcare service sector?
Nursing homes and healthcare facilities produce significant volumes of cardboard every day: used packaging from deliveries of food, medical equipment, hygiene products and other various supplies. Without a compaction solution, this waste accumulates rapidly and generates:
- clutter where space is limited
- frequent waste collections and associated costs
- lapses in cleanliness and hygiene
- time-consuming logistical management.
Installing a cardboard baler reduces these constraints by compacting waste directly at the source.
Challenges before acquiring the baler
Before acquiring the equipment, ESPASS in Podensac faced several difficulties related to managing the cardboard waste:
- Storage of 20 pcs of 770-liter bins resulting in a saturated waste area difficult to access.
- Cardboard collection every 15 days resulted in high costs.
- Repeated handling of the bins by staff in an accident-prone environment.
This system was no longer suitable for the institution’s needs and it became necessary to implement a more efficient and economical solution.
The solution: installing an Orwak Power baler
After analyzing the volumes produced, the facility opted for an Orwak Power 3420 baler, a piece of compaction equipment renowned for its reliability, performance, and ease of use. This baler efficiently compacts waste to produce dense bales that are easy to store and recycle.
Concrete and rapid results
Since the installation of the cardboard baler, significant improvements have been made:
- Two bales of approximately 350 kg cardboard produced per month
- Reduction from bi-weekly to quarterly collection
- A much cleaner, less cluttered, and safer waste area
How the institution benefits from the baler
Investing in a cardboard baler has brought numerous advantages to ESPASS in Podensac.
Significant financial savings
The cardboard baler provides a return on investment through a dual effect:
- Reduced number of collections with optimized routes to lower logistical costs
- Enhanced recycling of compacted cardboard
Employees’ daily work optimized
- Considerable space savings
- Less manual handling
- Improved working conditions
- Simpler and more efficient waste management
A positive environmental impact
Thanks to the cardboard baler, waste is better sorted, which promotes recycling and reduced transportation also helps limit the institution’s carbon footprint.
A project carried out with reliable, local partners
The installation of this cardboard baler was part of an effective partnership with GreenRécup’ 33, a specialist in waste collection and recovery in the Gironde region and a partner of Sacria on several projects. This collaboration ensures the regular collection of compacted cardboard bales and guarantees a high-performing, local recycling system.
What if you installed a cardboard baler in your facility?
No matter what business or industry you are in, a compaction solution can transform your waste management:
- Less volume to store, therefore considerable space savings
- Fewer collections, therefore lower costs
- Improved cleanliness and safety