Establishing and Operating a Solid-waste Transfer Station

Public officials and citizen advisory groups who are considering establishing a solid waste transfer station as a part of their integrated solid waste management system should consider whether a transfer station will reduce their waste transportation costs. This article discusses suggested procedures for the initial planning and operation of a solid waste transfer station to serve small communities and sparsely populated areas.

Transfer stations are centralized facilities where waste is unloaded from several collection vehicles into a large transfer trailer or box. The primary reason for establishing a transfer station is to economize on haul costs. One transfer trailer can haul as much as three to five waste collection (packer) trucks or as much as 40 pickup loads. Transfer stations can also serve as collection points for recyclable materials, special wastes, and household hazardous wastes.

When is a Transfer Station Justified?
A transfer station is economically justified when the savings in hauling costs will exceed its operational and financing costs. Sufficient savings are often generated when the distance from the collection area to the landfill exceeds 15 to 35 miles, but this distance varies greatly with the amount of waste, capital and financing costs, operating costs, size of trucks, and local conditions. If the distance to the landfill is less than this, direct haul to the landfill is usually more economical.

Additional reasons for incorporating a transfer station into a solid waste management system include:

• to assist in the separation of recyclable materials,
• to assist in the inspection for hazardous waste, and
• to keep small vehicles out of the landfill.

If communities are considering a transfer station, they should have a feasibility study made to determine whether the economics and benefits will justify it.

Types of Transfer Stations
Six common types of transfer stations include:

• Direct dumping transfer station. This allows the waste collection trucks (packer trucks) and other vehicles to dump directly into a transfer trailer. Transfer trailers typically hold about 100 cubic yards and thus can accommodate three to five packer loads or many pickup loads. Although some transfer stations of this type are not enclosed in a building, strong winds make an enclosure desirable.
• Tipping floor dumping transfer station. This is similar to a direct dumping station except it has additional space for trucks to discharge their waste on a concrete tipping floor for inspection and emergency storage. A front loader with a bucket is required to push the waste from the floor into the transfer trailer.
• Pit-dumping station. This has a large pit into which several trucks can unload simultaneously. Some stations have tractors in the pit to push the waste into transfer trailers. Others have a pit with a walking floor in the bottom of the pit.
• Compactor station. In this type of station, the waste is unloaded or pushed into the hopper of a stationary compactor and then into a completely enclosed transfer trailer or roll-off container.
• Roll-off box station. This is a relatively low-capital-cost transfer station and can service communities of up to about 1,000 people. Major components consist of a 40 cubic yard steel box, an unloading ramp that slopes up to the top of the box and a concrete pad to support the box. To reduce wind blown litter, the boxes can be covered with lids and hatches. A truck with a special hydraulic hoist is required to remove the box and haul it to a landfill.
• Drop-off box station. This is similar to the roll-off box transfer station except that it has one or several six or eight cubic yard boxes. The boxes can be lifted and emptied by a large packer truck. Boxes are generally located on a surfaced parking area. A contract hauler normally provides the boxes and hauling services.

With the first three types of transfer stations, open-top/uncompacted trailers are used to haul the waste to the landfill. They normally have a net-type cover that prevents debris from being blown out of the trailer during travel. They also have a walking floor or a push blade to unload the waste. A clamshell or backhoe is desirable, but not mandatory, to attain maximum payload, level the load, and extract undesirable material.

Several variations and combinations of these six primary types also exist.

About the Authors: E. J. Fuller, a registered engineer, and Wayne Woldt are waste-management specialists with the University of Nebraska Extension Service.

The previous article was adapted from a NebFact developed by the University of Nebraska Extension Service.