The Mandan Inert Waste Landfill was hardly unique in its previous choice to use a wheel loader as its primary machine. But it didn't take long for Wright and other city officials to confirm that they had made the right decision in switching to a unit built specifically for refuse compaction. Wheel loaders have only their own weight to deliver compactive effort into the waste material. But with a dedicated refuse compactor designed from the ground up to work in a landfill environment, weight is only one component of many effective compaction features.

Among the features offered by the BC672RB are polygonal disk wheels with one-piece chill cast teeth, along with adjustable scraper bars to keep the wheels free of debris. "The teeth make a world of difference," said Wright. "Instead of just pushing the material down, the machine shreds through the waste easily. Since the trash is torn into smaller particles, it gets compacted without leaving air voids behind. And because the scrapers keep the teeth clean, we're always getting effective compaction."

Another factor in the BC672RB's ability to deliver consistent compaction is a center articulation joint that oscillates 15 degrees in either direction. While many machines may struggle to keep all four wheels in contact with the irregular terrain of a landfill, the oscillating/articulating joint on the BC672RB helps ensure constant ground contact, allowing compactive effort to be delivered at all times.

"The BOMAG has had an answer for every concern we ever had with the wheel loader," said Wright. "We were looking to get better compaction of the waste material to create more air space, and we've definitely achieved that. But we've also saved space from using less cover dirt."