Underground waste disposal facilities. How underground waste storage systems work
ECOLIFT™ is an innovative system for the collection and underground storage of municipal solid waste (MSW), designed for mass use V in public places.
System ECOLIFT™ works on the principle of a hydraulic lift. Waste is collected and accumulated in standard garbage containers installed on a lifting platform lowered into a sealed underground space. The trash cans located on the surface serve as garbage receptacles and send waste directly to an underground container. By operating a lifting mechanism, the management company lifts the containers to the surface for cleaning and emptying, and then lowers them back underground.
System ECOLIFT™ - developed by engineers of the PANDA LIFT company with the expectation of operation in the Russian climate (low temperatures, heavy snowfall, icing, heavy rainfall).
RELEVANCE OF APPLICATION
Idea of development and implementation new system collection and underground storage of solid waste in Russia, came to the engineers of the PANDA LIFT company in 2012 and was caused by the urgency of the garbage problem in public places and residential areas of large cities in Russia.
There are a number of problems associated with garbage, but it is especially important to highlight the problem of cleanliness, environmental safety and aesthetics of primary waste collection points, such as city trash cans and garbage containers installed in public places with high traffic or in residential courtyards.
The overflowing garbage containers given as an example are located in a residential area (photo on the left) and along the alley, behind the Dynamo stadium, Moscow (photo on the right). Such examples are common, starting from cultural parks and alleys in the historical part of the city, ending with prestigious residential complexes.
ADVANTAGES OF USE
New system ECOLIFT™ designed to relieve city residents, passers-by and public utilities from the “garbage” problem. Below are just some of the visible benefits of using ECOLIFT™.
- Visual and sanitary cleanliness around waste collection points;
- There is no unpleasant odor from decomposing food waste;
- Garbage collection points no longer serve as habitats for dangerous stray animals;
- Food and household waste are not carried away by birds;
- Garbage collection points no longer breed insects, rats and other pests;
- Garbage collection points no longer attract homeless people.
There are also important components that are difficult to measure, for example: aesthetics, satisfaction of residents of residential areas, raising the image of the local district, administration, management company, etc.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLE
The basis of the system ECOLIFT™ consists of a hydraulic scissor-type lifting platform. The dimensions of the platform, lifting height and load-bearing capacity are determined based on the number of garbage containers installed on it, their type, geometric dimensions, and the total mass of waste accumulated in them.
The lifting platform is installed in a pre-prepared concrete shaft (pit), part of which is reserved for the equipment room, in which a hydraulic station and electrical panel are installed.
The monolithic shaft is completely sealed. She is protected from external influence ground and melt water, and from the impact atmospheric precipitation. The roof, installed on a platform on two (or four) supports, serves as a shaft cover. When the platform is in the lowered position, the roof hermetically closes the shaft due to a specially designed abutment structure, the “lock” type. The design of the lock was developed by PANDA LIFT engineers in such a way that its tightness cannot be compromised, it cannot become frozen, clogged with debris, or fail for other reasons.
A control console for the lifting system is installed on the surface, in close proximity to the waste bins. To remove garbage containers from the ground, the console has control buttons (raise, lower, stop). The management console can only be activated using a special access key, which is held by employees of the operating organizations.
All system elements ECOLIFT™ made in anti-vandal design. There are no wires or working mechanisms of the system on the surface; only trash cans are visible.
If necessary, the system can be equipped with electronic access or personalization devices. In this case, to access the ballot boxes, the system user must attach a magnetic key or enter a code.
This option can be useful when the system is installed in places where it is used by a certain group of people (for example, residents of a specific residential complex, or employees of a certain organization, etc.).
An integral part and important option of the system ECOLIFT™ is the presence of a function to monitor the filling status of garbage containers. Special infrared sensors are triggered when the container is close to filling or is already full. When the sensors are triggered, the programmable controller can issue a command to perform the following actions:
- Transmits messages to the management company via the GSM module (SMS or E-mail messages);
- Controls the light indication indicating which of the underground containers filled;
- Blocks the electromagnetic lock of the trash can lid so that waste no longer enters the filled container.
THE LINEUP
System ECOLIFT™ designed for use with both mobile roll-out garbage containers and cargo garbage containers with a capacity of up to 20 cubic meters. The lifting platform can accommodate from 1 to 8 mobile compact containers at the same time, or one cargo container weighing up to 20 tons (when filled).
System ECOLIFT™ provides for the installation of garbage containers on the platform for separate collection Solid waste. In this case, specially marked bins (paper, glass, plastic, batteries, etc.) are installed on the surface.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
In accordance with general requirements requirements for hydraulic lifting devices, as well as taking into account the operating features of the system, it is necessary to periodically check the condition and maintain the system (once every 3 months).
Maintenance includes:
- Checking the condition of metal structures, bolted and welded joints;
- Checking the condition of the hydraulic station ( technical condition engine, components, oil level check, etc.);
- Checking the condition of hydraulic cylinders;
- Checking the condition of hydraulic hoses and connections;
- Testing of electrical units and components;
- Checking the system control unit;
- Checking sensors (safety, stop, etc.)
- Cleaning and processing
Such a check takes PANDA LIFT specialists from 2 to 4 hours and directly affects the safety, quality and service life of the system.
Every day in big cities, small towns and others populated areas Tons of garbage accumulate. Street garbage containers and bins located near institutions and residential buildings quickly fill up. They emit an unpleasant odor and spoil the appearance of the landscape, attract rodents and insects, becoming sources of dangerous diseases. What solutions exist today? A breakthrough in waste disposal technology was the underground waste collection system developed by Villiger from Switzerland.
How is waste stored and collected in underground containers?
The Swiss company Villiger presented a conceptual solution for waste disposal. These are underground containers that are hermetically connected to waste receptacles located on the surface. Waste containers are lowered into and out of the shaft using a hydraulic lift. When they are full, they are removed using the TER SPA series control panel, loaded onto a garbage truck and transported to a waste recycling facility.
Underground container systems are airtight, take up little space and hold 5-7 times more waste than traditional trash cans. Above-ground garbage receptacles fit organically into the urban landscape, do not emit a stench, and there is no falling garbage around them. The tanks do not need to be opened or moved while the contents are being shipped, making maintenance as simple and cost-effective as possible. Access to them is carried out using cards, and its owner pays only for what he threw away.
Villiger underground disposal systems are versatile and practical due to the fact that they are fully automated. They are convenient to use, even if you need to ship household waste or construction garbage directly from the truck body. It is enough to pay for the shipment with a card, after which the platform with a hydraulic lift rises, making it possible to unload the waste into the waste collection chamber.
Why are underground garbage disposals convenient?
Underground waste disposal systems are a versatile and cost-effective solution.
- The large capacity of the containers allows you to store a large amount of waste in a small area.
- There can be several garbage collectors; depending on the amount of garbage on the site, up to 5 containers are installed.
- Storage suitable for different types waste: organic waste, paper, cardboard, PET containers and textiles.
- The waste does not harm people and environment, which confirms the environmental friendliness of the storage system.
- The storage is hygienic, it is impossible that a bird, rodent or pet will accidentally get into the garbage receptacle.
- The garbage disposal is easy to use, and its configuration does not spoil the urban landscape.
The storage facilities are sealed and protected from accidental ingress of moisture and precipitation, so they last longer and the garbage in them does not decompose.
The containers are safe to use and maintain. Their lid is light and has no sharp corners. The locking mechanism ensures maximum fire safety of the contents and prevents spillage.
If you buy a container for underground storage and waste disposal, the costs will quickly pay off. Why? Due to the large volume tanks, which allows not only to store a large volume of garbage, but also to increase the interval for its removal.
Separate waste storage - how does it work?
With an underground storage system, the problem of separate waste collection is easily solved, which significantly improves the environmental situation in megacities and small towns. Its shape and appearance fits well into the urban environment and improves the appearance of residential and industrial areas.
To summarize, we suggest watching a video of such a system in action:
It’s nice that every day life with us is getting better and more fun. The telephone is already capable of replacing huge computers, the robot rover takes pictures of itself on Mars, and tickets to space will soon be sold to everyone. And nothing happened to the garbage for a long time. Remember what outdoor bins look like in your yard? If in Moscow the situation with this is even more or less decent, then in the regions you cannot approach a garbage container without a gas mask. Containers in every possible way darken the life of neighborhoods - they smell bad, sometimes catch fire, homeless people rummage around there, rats breed, and the wind blows garbage all over the area. What to do? Garbage containers it shouldn't be! Today we will talk about underground waste storage facilities. Maxim Evgenievich and I decided to make such a system at Shchukino, to our delight local residents. Let's see what it is.
01. Garbage cans in my beloved Omsk look like this. I think this picture will not surprise anyone. Everyone is accustomed to the fact that in every yard there is a disgusting place that exudes a stench throughout the entire area. 
02. What to do about it? All trash cans must be placed underground. There should be no disgusting dirty containers! There are several types of underground waste collection systems. This one is the simplest. Conventional bins are lowered down on a lift, and only a garbage receptacle remains on top, similar to a conventional garbage chute. 
When the car arrives, the containers are lifted and emptied. It looks something like this:
03. Everything is clean and tidy from above. 
04. Nothing smells, nothing flows along the roads and nothing rots in the sun. 
05. Yes different types receptacles, for example for glass, paper or household waste. 
06. This is what the containers look like together. 
07. So they rise. 
08. The next system is more complicated, but better. Here the receiver and tank are a single unit. The advantages are obvious - the system is completely sealed. It is faster to service - no need to push the tanks in, nothing falls out. And most importantly, it is many times more spacious than one tank. Depending on the size, such underground tank can be up to 5 times larger than a regular container. This means that you can take out garbage less often. 
The container can be large - the garbage is automatically compacted there.
09.
10. Access to tanks can be made using cards so that only residents of the house can use them. This is necessary in cases where garbage removal is paid and residents do not want to pay extra. 
11. But the coolest thing is the district vacuum garbage chute! I dream of building one like this in Shchukino! 
12. The horizontal system works on the principle of pneumatic mail. Garbage can be compacted in bins and flown into storage. All garbage cans in the area can be connected to such a system. Beauty. The garbage automatically goes to a distribution point, from where it is taken to landfills. You can also connect existing garbage disposals in homes to this system. The vacuum system requires serious investment - about 500 million rubles for 10,000 apartments, but it pays for itself in 30 years, since there is no need to maintain hundreds of garbage cans every day. 
13. The latest garbage fashion is solar-powered trash cans! They compact waste and consume no electricity at all. 
14. How do we pay for garbage removal now? Divided into all apartments. Access to the tank can be by cards. You can connect a billing system to the tank and then each resident of the house will pay only for what he threw away! The system can even weigh the trash and rate it! This is the garbage future! 
The advantages of underground storage facilities are obvious: they take up little space, they do not spoil the appearance of the street, they are easier to maintain, they do not smell, and do not attract homeless people and animals. The cost of such a system is from 400,000 rubles per tank. Moscow authorities spend approximately this much per year on asphalt maintenance in one yard. Garbage cans should decorate the yard! 
Want more of a trashy future? Here it is! System for distributing waste according to the color of the bags.
Installation of buried containers for waste collection. Ural56.Ru found out the pros and cons of new devices for the city.
A buried container is a tank with a bag inside. Two thirds of it is dug into the ground, and a small part with a lid remains on the surface. Such a container can have a capacity of up to 5 cubic meters (about 7 standard above-ground tanks). A special machine uses a loading device to remove a sealed bag made of thick “fabric” from it and pour its contents into the body.
Pros of in-ground containers
Containers in Orenburg, 19.10.2015
Manufacturers note such positive sides in-ground containers such as:
- saving space in yards ( most of hidden underground, and the above-ground part takes up less space than several conventional tanks);
- large volume of containers;
- compliance with constant temperature regime due to being underground (according to them, garbage does not freeze in winter and does not deteriorate in summer).
However, our interlocutor, a resident of the regional center, denied that the temperature in them is always positive. As an example, he cited a situation where, after such a tank burned and, accordingly, extinguished in winter, a block of ice ended up in the bag.
Minuses
Recessed containers in Orenburg, 2018
Installation of such containers requires certain conditions, so they cannot appear anywhere. At a minimum, in order to dig a sufficiently large tank into the ground, the site must be free of all communications, including pipelines and cables.
Buying such containers is quite expensive. They cost several times more than conventional tanks.
In addition, special vehicles are needed to remove waste from them. There are no such people in Orsk yet. And the situation with garbage collection that is developing in the city today raises concerns - now the operator cannot even cope with the removal of waste from regular containers if he has a car. Will there still be more problems with the advent of new tanks, and will the responsible organization have the necessary equipment?
Bulky waste
Container site near house No. 1a on Lenin Avenue in Orsk, 03/25/2019
And of course, we must not forget about bulky waste. Large waste cannot be placed in a buried container, and the hatch for dumping waste is not very large. Orchan residents are accustomed to storing everything that can fit into overhead bins. Here the townspeople will have to relearn their skills.
IN Orenburg Collection of bulky waste is organized at special sites near buried containers. Where there are no designated areas, garbage is piled right next to their above-ground parts. No one is saying yet how this will be organized in Orsk.
Purchasing a buried container for solid waste is a wise and practical decision. By choosing an underground waste storage system, you get the following benefits:
- reduction of transport costs;
- durability and long service life of the container;
- increasing the volume of solid waste storage at the existing waste site without exceeding its existing dimensions;
- no need to install components required for container sites: fences around the waste bin and canopies;
- no spread of odors;
- eliminating risks such as heavy lids, sharp corners, breakdown of wheels and the appearance of puddles of waste with an unpleasant odor;
- 100% unloading of garbage from the container at any time of the year;
- attractive and aesthetic design.
The design is a “glass” with a hermetically sealed lid. Height including cover - 3,06 meters and diameter 2,0 meters. After installation (recessed), the visible part with the cover is 1,46 meters. The window for garbage bags is located at a level of 1.0 meters. Produced in various colors, based on customer requests.
Buried containers for solid waste are not afraid of almost any weather! Thanks to the presence of a sealed lid, precipitation is prevented from getting inside. It is resistant to vandalism and prevents spillage and scattering of debris. The content is inaccessible to both animals and unfavorable social elements.
An underground waste storage system ensures waste storage at low temperatures. Due to the fact that the contents are compacted under their own weight, the decay process slows down and unfavorable odors are reduced. In summer, when high temperatures, bacterial growth is reduced. In winter, at frosts and low temperatures, there is no icing of waste.
To accumulate and store garbage, a special durable bag is used, which allows you to extract and unload the contents using a garbage truck with a crane in a matter of minutes. The process of emptying the container from accumulated waste is simple and absolutely safe: there are no sharp corners and puddles of waste, problems with broken wheels are eliminated, and the plastic lid does not have heavy weight. In addition, the boom reach of the loader crane reaches 11 meters, which ensures independence of the garbage truck from parked cars when operating. The bag also protects the buried container itself from debris, eliminating the need to clean the bottom.
Fig.3 Unloading waste from a recessed container “ECO 5000”, type “eco”
And of course, one of the main factors in choosing a buried container for solid waste is its efficiency! The vertical design allows you to significantly free up and expand the space occupied by ground containers, since when vertical design The capacity is 5 m3, and the occupied area is only 2 m3. In other words, one in-ground container is equal in volume to 5 above-ground containers of 1100 liters. Thus, additional free space opens up in residential courtyards for parking cars, placing children's and sports grounds, as well as flower beds and flower beds.
