Waste Transfer Stations

A push pit transfer station's name defines the method used. The facility is designed with an elevated tipping floor, typically about 15′ above the pit floor where the transfer trailer sits.  Above the transfer trailer is an open hole in the floor roughly 45′ long x 7′ wide. Typically, push pit designs use a drive-thru pit in lieu of a back-in pit. Haul trucks and customers bring in the waste and deposit it directly onto the tipping floor. This facility typically uses a loader operator as well as a small excavator or knuckle boom within the footprint. The loader operator pushes the trash from the pile to the open hole and directly into the trailer. The knuckle boom then compacts the waste in the back of the trailer so as to ensure that they hit the maximum axle weights.  Typical load times for this method for trained operators can be as low as four to eight minutes.

A surge pit is a facility where the tip area is elevated from the storage floor and then the pits are push pit, lift and load or compactors. The surge pit is used for storage and compaction of the materials prior to loading the trailers for the landfill. This facility is typically used for very high throughput that comes in short spurts, thus needing the additional storage. It is also good for areas where the trailers do not have maximum weights and the operator can compact and crush the material thus allowing for more material in trailers. As mentioned, there are various methods that can be used to haul out the material (lift and load, push pit, compactors, etc.). The surge pit can also be valuable for sites loading rail cans. The separation from the tip floor to the surge pit floor can vary widely but is typically 8′ to 20′. This design can use a back-in pit or a drive-thru pit that would be driven by the site layout, site grading and throughput requirements. This method requires multiple pieces of equipment depending on the operational goals of the facility. Site goals should be defined in detail in order to design this.

A direct tip transfer station is similar in design to a push pit, but the main difference is the haul trucks tip directly into a trailer waiting in the pit area. The tipping area is typically raised and the trailer is close to existing grade. The separation between the tipping floor and the "pit" floor needs to be 13′ to 15′ in depth. This design can use a back-in pit or a drive-thru pit that would be driven by the site layout, site grading and throughput requirements. Inbound material is tipped directly into a waiting trailer, which may or may not be compacted by another piece of equipment. Typically, a site manager moves trailers around to ensure that there is always room for inbound material. A direct tip facility typically does low volume. A good use of this method is for transload of recyclables so as to not crush them before they make it to the recycling facility for processing. The location of this type of facility is in areas where only open air transfer stations are permitted. Since material cannot be stockpiled, it needs to tip directly into a trailer. This method requires only one employee to operate the facility on a daily basis, depending on throughput and number of loading stations.