Mill Size Waste Balers
Mill Size waste balers
Built for high-volume recycling throughput
If you generate large volumes of packaging waste – including cardboard, plastics, paper, or mixed recyclables – a mill-size baler is the industrial-grade solution for the job. These machines compress material into dense bales that significantly reduce storage, handling, and transportation requirements. And, because they meet strict weight and dimension standards accepted directly by UK recycling mills and processors, more revenue stays with you rather than being absorbed by handling costs downstream. Our mill-size waste baler range – comprising the RWM 400, RWM 500, RWM 500 LH, and RWM 600 – is engineered to perform reliably in demanding environments, with configurations to suit different throughput volumes, footprint constraints, and loading preferences. If you need help understanding your options, we’re happy to advise – get in touch with the team.
Waste balers
What is a mill-size baler?
This heavy-duty machine is engineered to compress large volumes of dry recyclables into tightly compacted bales weighing 400–600kg. Thanks to this level of standardisation, outputs can be easily stored, stacked, and loaded on to flat-bed trailers or into shipping containers without further preparation at a materials recovery facility. This matters because extra steps cost your business money, which is typically reflected in the rebates you receive. When your bales are mill ready, you’re positioned to command better rates from recycling processors.
Here’s how a mill-size waste baler works:
- Material is loaded through the front-facing aperture into the baler’s chamber
- A hydraulic ram drives downward, compressing the material under significant force
- When the baler is full, the operator ties the bale with wire or tape
- The finished bale is ejected on to a pallet – ready to stack, store, or transport
Dimensions and pressing forces vary by model, making the choice of machine dependent on your material type, volume, and site setup. Our team can carry out a free site assessment to match you to the right specification. And if you’d like to try before you commit, our mill-size baler hire service lets you get started without the upfront investment.
By input
What materials does it bale?
Most Riverside balers are used to compact cardboard, paper, plastic film, and other dry recyclables. However, some of our larger and more powerful models are also suitable for denser or more specialist materials, including rigid plastics like PET and HDPE, light metals like aluminium cans, and textiles from production or returns processing. The right machine depends not only on the material itself, but also on the volume generated, available space, and how you need the finished bale to be handled. If you're unsure about suitability, get in touch and we’ll be happy to advise.
Discover more
Bringing benefits in abundance
01
Increase recycling revenue
With a robust mill-size baler, cost is quickly offset by the rebates you earn – bales that go straight to the end user command better returns than anything that needs further handling.
02
Reclaim floor space
Loose waste is a space thief. Baling consolidates that waste into stackable units that take up a fraction of the footprint – keeping your site tidy, your walkways clear, and your fire risk lower.
03
Reduce haulage costs
By compacting waste into dense, stackable bales, businesses can reduce the number of collections required, helping to lower associated transport and disposal costs.
04
Operate with ease
With a front-loaded design and user-friendly controls, our mill-size waste balers integrate seamlessly into busy site workflows – no complex training or complicated setup needed.
05
Minimise downtime
Constructed with durability in mind, our machines are engineered to perform reliably in demanding environments, keeping maintenance requirements and outage risks low.
06
Boost compliance confidence
Baling and segregating recyclable waste supports your environmental reporting and helps meet increasingly strict waste duty of care requirements – without adding operational strain.
Featured product
Meet the RWM 60
The RWM 60 is a compact yet powerful baler designed for businesses that need to reduce waste volumes without sacrificing valuable floor space. Its large loading aperture accepts bulky cardboard boxes with minimal preparation, helping operators process waste quickly and efficiently. In addition to cardboard, the RWM 60 is suitable for baling plastic film, paper, and polythene, making it a versatile solution for businesses handling multiple waste streams. Simple to operate and built for daily use, this machine is ideal for retail stores, warehouses, distribution centres, and manufacturing facilities looking to reduce waste disposal costs and improve housekeeping.
Cardboard
Plastics
Paper
Film
"SWM are committed to safety, which is one of the key factors in sustaining relationships with suppliers and contractors – that’s why Riverside Waste Machinery Ltd has been servicing our internal balers successfully for a number of years. We recently needed to purchase a tipping skip and – despite not being advertised on their website at that time – Riverside happily provided a quote, which we accepted, and delivery was made promptly after."
Rebecca Howlett
SWM international
