With North Dakota ranking as the windiest state in the nation, issues with paper and other refuse blowing around on the landfill were intensified. These problems could previously be solved only by frequently covering the surface with large quantities of dirt. The BC672RB has changed that. "The wheels and teeth firmly press material into the ground," said Wright. "It doesn't allow waste to blow around nearly as much."

The reasons for Mandan's extensive use of cover dirt weren't limited strictly to paper blowing control. The dirt was also needed to prevent damage to the wheel loader. "The wheel loader's tires are pretty vulnerable when driving over refuse," said Wright. "We would have run a high risk of puncturing tires without a fair amount of cover dirt providing some degree of protection. The steel wheels on the BOMAG have eliminated that issue."

Suddenly our landfill's lifespan jumped from 20 years to 35 years.

The chances of equipment damage have been further reduced by the BC672RB's sealed tub undercarriage, which prevents debris from entering the engine compartment. With the BOMAG providing improved compaction and purpose-built design, the Mandan landfill has been able to keep cover dirt use to a minimum and free up air space in the process. "It's pretty simple," said Wright. "Less dirt. More garbage."

After several months of using the BC672RB, the city crunched the numbers and estimated that it would save between two and two-and-a-half years of space (or 40- to 50-percent) over a five year period. "Suddenly our landfill's lifespan jumped from 20 years to 35 years," said Wright.