Ripon's Recycling Center Gets Major Equipment Upgrade

Matrix Poly Max 2500 densifier.

The Ripon City Council has approved the acceptance of vital recycling equipment - a foam densifier and grinder - donated by Dart CARE, a container manufacturing corporation that is closing its Lodi facility.

The donated equipment includes a Matrix Poly Max 2500 densifier and a PH650 grinder, both inspected and confirmed to be in good working condition by public works staff. This equipment will significantly improve the center's Styrofoam processing capabilities.

The technology is impressive in its efficiency: the foam densifier and grinder can compress seven 40-yard roll-off bins of loose Styrofoam into a single pallet about 8 feet high. This advancement will dramatically reduce transportation needs and operating costs at the recycling center.

The impact becomes clear when considering past operations. In 2023, the last full year the facility accepted Styrofoam, the center required 44 separate trips to transport foam waste. With the new equipment, this could be reduced to just one trip.

The city's only immediate expense was a $650 transportation fee to move the equipment from Lodi to Ripon, covered by the Garbage Operating Fund. Additional plans include installing a shelter and electrical feed at the recycling center, with estimated costs around $15,000 - a proposal that will require future council approval.

While the recycling center has historically accepted Styrofoam, finding outlets for the material has been challenging in recent years. This new equipment provides a practical solution to a long-standing problem, promising more efficient operations for Ripon's recycling program.