Despite what you might think, not all garbage heads straight to the local dump. Some waste management companies take the trash that they collect to a transfer station in Hampton. At these facilities, the garbage is sorted through before being sent off for recycling or to a local landfill.
Here is a quick look at what happens to garbage at a waste transfer station.
Trucks Arrive at the Station
Upon arrival at the transfer station in Hampton, the trucks are sent to a scale where they are weighed. When applicable, tipping fees are also charged. Any transfer station that allows residents to drop off garbage uses a different scale than the commercial trucks.
Trucks Unload Their Garbage
Where the garbage is unloaded will depend on the transfer station. Some places have the trucks unload directly into another one, while others dump the trash onto the floor or into an open pit. Dumped garbage is moved around by bulldozers and cranes.
Garbage Is Sorted and Processed
For transfer stations partnered with a materials recovery facility, all of the waste will be sorted through to remove any recyclables. The recyclables are pulled from the waste and sent to the facility to be processed. Workers also sift through the garbage dumped to remove any unauthorized items or hazardous materials as those must be processed separately to not contaminate the land.
Compact Garbage and Reload Trucks
After being sorted, the leftover trash is compacted to allow more waste to fit onto a single truck. Once compacted down to a smaller size, the bundle is transferred to a larger truck and sent to the next location.
