In the ever-evolving environmental compliance and sustainability landscape, waste management regulations serve as important benchmarks for countries and businesses across Europe. The EU’s Single-use Plastics Directive, is one such measure aimed at making the region a leader in the global fight against marine litter and plastic pollution. The goal is to reduce the volume and impact of certain plastic products on the environment. Targets under the directive include:  

• A 7% separate collection target for plastic bottles by 2025 – increasing to 90% by 2029  
• incorporating 25% of recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles from 2025, and 30% in all plastic beverage bottles from 2030  

This Single Use Plastics directive has been one of the main drivers of new plastic deposit return schemes around the EU such as the Deposit Return Scheme introduced in Ireland in February 2024. However it is not the only regulation in place and with the European recycling industry body FEAD calling for a 75% target for the recycling, of all waste not just household by 2035, this suggests that more regulations can be expected in the future.  

While we must all continue to find ways to prevent waste in the first place, particularly plastic waste, using waste baling machines presents a direct and efficient step for business owners to contribute to waste recycling and a step to stay ahead of compliance and regulations.  

 At LSM, we are experts in manufacturing waste balers and waste compactors for use all around Europe and further afield too. We understand the value these machines can bring to individuals, businesses, and the environment. In this article, we will delve into how waste baling machines can help businesses achieve their environmental and cost reduction goals.  

WHY ARE BUSINESSES CHOOSING LSM WASTE MANAGEMENT MACHINES? 

Businesses that use LSM waste management machines report that it helps them to achieve the following:  

• Save money & boost productivity: plastic and cardboard balers make it much easier to separate and manage waste while it is still on your premises. This eliminates the need for maintenance and floor teams to spend hours breaking down boxes and wrangling plastic. It simplifies the process by just pressing a button.  
• Comply with European regulations: European Union Packaging Regulations mandate that packaging waste is separated at the source and by material type before being collected for recycling. Recent updates to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) require all packaging placed on the EU market to be recyclable and be separately collected, sorted, and recycled at scale. Waste management machines like plastic balers and cardboard balers help businesses to comply with these regulations and stay ahead of future requirements.   
• Create a positive environmental impact: Recycling balers, such as plastic balers and cardboard balers, make it easier for waste management collection partners to handle a significant increase in volume due to compaction. This results in fewer vehicle movements, lower costs, and reduced emissions.  
• Prepare for the circular economy: Recycling bales keep plastic, cardboard, and other materials in a recoverable state, encouraging more waste to be correctly recycled. This aligns with the movement towards a circular economy, creating velocity and reducing costs for everyone.  

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT WASTE BALER MACHINE?   

Choosing the right waste baler machine for your business will help you maximise its benefits. Typically, it all boils down to what waste you are aiming to recycle and the volume your business processes.   

OVERVIEW OF THE MOST POPULAR LSM RECYCLING AND WASTE BALING MACHINES:  

• Small Baler: Suitable for businesses that mainly handle cardboard, plastic, textile, paper, and food waste. These machines are most effective when compressing materials that are easy to compact and hold their shape well. Small balers are commonly used by garden centers, DIY stores, small hotels, and B&Bs.  
• Mid-size Baler: Offers more power and capacity, allowing you to process PET bottles and aluminum in addition to the materials processed by a small baler. Supermarkets, green grocers, convenience stores, department stores, wholesalers, and large hotels are typical customers who opt for mid-size balers.  
• Mill Size Baler: Designed for the highest-volume users with diverse recycling needs. These balers have a 50-tonne press and can handle all recycling materials, producing 400-500 kg bales. Mill-size balers are suitable for department stores, wholesalers, logistics centers, and manufacturing plants.  
• Horizontal Baler: Handles even higher volumes of waste. If your volume exceeds 10 bales daily, using a horizontal baler can reduce the labor associated with processing waste by up to 50%. LSM’s horizontal balers have a compaction force of 50 to 80 tonnes and can accommodate all recycling and dry waste. Recycling centers, waste contractors, distribution centers, large hospitality environments, and large supermarkets benefit from horizontal balers.  

LSM also manufactures a range of other special purpose compaction and waste baling machines, such as bin packers, glass crushers, and tyre balers, to suit various business needs.  

MEET WASTE MANAGEMENT GOALS  

Achieving sustainable waste management in Europe and worldwide requires proactive engagement and strategic initiatives from businesses and stakeholders. With initiatives like the EU’s Single-use Plastics Directive setting ambitious targets for plastic waste reduction and recycling, the role of waste baling equipment in achieving compliance  has never been more important  

At LSM, along with our global network of LSM distributors, we embrace this opportunity to champion sustainable practices and empower businesses with innovative waste management solutions. Together, we can navigate the regulatory landscape, optimise waste management processes, and pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future. If you’re interested in joining the LSM Distributor network let us know.