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Plastic Balers for Sale & Hire

If your business produces significant volumes of plastic waste such as shrink wrap, plastic film, packaging or rigid plastics, then a plastic baler is one of the most effective ways to manage it. Balers can save you money, improve productivity and help you become a more sustainable business.

At phs Wastekit we supply plastic balers for sale and hire across the UK, backed by a team of waste experts who can recommend the right machine for your waste stream. Whether you're baling plastic for the first time or upgrading an existing setup.

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Choosing the right plastic baler

Selecting the right plastic baler comes down to the type and volume of plastic you handle, the space available and how you want to manage the cost.

The main things to weigh up include:

  • Waste Volume and Type: how much plastic you produce, and whether it's soft film, shrink wrap, or rigid plastics, determines the size and strength of machine you need.
  • Available Space: Vertical balers suit tighter sites; larger machines need dedicated floor space and, in some cases, a three-phase supply.
  • Throughput and automation: Higher-volume sites benefit from faster cycle times and features that reduce manual handling. 
  • Buy or Hire: Buying suits stable long-term volumes; hire offers flexibility for short-term or seasonal needs.

If you're not sure which machine fits your operation, our team can carry out a site assessment including a free waste saving audit to recommend the right plastic baler for your waste stream. 

Engineer Servicing Baler


Compactor Being Serviced

What is a plastic baler and how does it work? 

A plastic baler compresses loose waste plastic like film, shrink wrap, packaging and rigid plastics into dense, uniform bales that are easy to store, move and recycle. It turns bulky, awkward plastic waste into a compact output that takes up a fraction of the space.

The process is straightforward:

  1. Waste plastic is loaded into the baler's chamber 
  2. A hydraulic ram compresses it against a fixed plate.
  3. Once the chamber is full, the bale is tied off with strapping or wire.
  4. The finished bale is ejected and stored ready for collection or recycling.

Baling dramatically reduces the volume of plastic waste, which means fewer collections, less storage space taken up by loose material, and cleaner segregation for recycling. For sites paying by waste volume, that can translate directly into lower disposal costs. 

What plastics can you bale?

Plastic balers handle most of the plastic waste streams a business produces day to day:

  • Soft plastics and film: Shrink wrap, pallet wrap, bin liners and packaging film, the most common commercial plastic waste 
  • Rigid plastics: PET bottles, containers and harder packaging that takes up disproportionate space when loose 
  • Mixed plastic packaging: Where a multi-chamber machine can separate streams at source 

Baling soft plastics in particular makes recycling far more practical, since loose film is bulky and difficult to handle. For more on which materials qualify, see our guide to soft plastics recycling.   

Engineer Servicing Baler

Not sure which baler is right for your business? Use our free Waste Saving Calculator to find out!

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Do I need a plastic baler or compactor?

A plastic baler compresses recyclable plastic into transportable bales for recycling. A compactor compresses mixed or general waste into a container to reduce its volume for collection. The right choice depends on what you're trying to achieve:

  • Choose a plastic baler if your goal is to segregate and recycle plastic; film, wrap or rigid and potentially recover value from the baled material 
  • Choose a compactor if your goal is simply to reduce the volume of mixed or general waste going to collection.

Training is particularly important. Safe operation, correct loading and basic machine care all help protect uptime and reduce avoidable faults.

Some sites use both. If a compactor is the better fit for your waste, we can point you to the right machine in our compactor range. 

Which businesses use plastic balers?

At phs We regularly support businesses across:

We regularly support businesses across:

Installation, training, servicing and breakdown support

Choosing the right machine is only part of the process. We also support the setup and ongoing performance of your equipment.

Our support includes:

  • Site surveys and recommendation guidance
  • Installation planning
  • Fewer waste collections  
  • Operator training
  • Routine servicing
  • Maintenance plans
  • Breakdown support
  • Spare parts supply

Training is particularly important. Safe operation, correct loading and basic machine care all help protect uptime and reduce avoidable faults.

Our  maintenance plans are designed to keep equipment compliant, safe and productive. Depending on the level of cover required, this can include scheduled servicing, breakdown attendance, labour cover and parts support.

Why choose phs Wastekit for plastic balers?

At phs Wastekit we combine national coverage with practical waste handling expertise. We supply a broad range of cardboard balers, plastic balers, compactors and specialist equipment, backed by recommendation support, training, servicing and spare parts.

Businesses choose us because we offer:

  • Flexibility – buy new and used or hire with flexible contracts
  • Nationwide supply and support
  • A broad equipment range for different waste volumes
  • Sector specific guidance
  • Training and servicing from one supplier
  • Support with free waste audits and machine recommendations

We don’t just supply machines; we support businesses throughout their waste management journey.

Frequently asked questions

How much do plastic balers cost? 

We carry a large stock of plastic balers all with varying prices depending on a number of factors. Cost will depend on the contract length, amount of balers you need and any additional services required. Hired plastic balers are charged by the week and can be ideal and affordable for a short contract. Our plastic balers that we have for sale are constantly changing due to sales and stock changes. We offer new used and refurbished and will always try to work within your budget whether you hire or buy. the best way to get an up to date price list is to get in touch.  

Should I hire or buy a plastic baler?

Whether you hire or buy can sometimes be a difficult decision, balancing convenience over cashflow, cost and storage space.  We can help you decide with a free waste saving audit which can help give you a good picture of what you need. We can give you all pricing options from outright purchases of new, used and refurbished, to rental figures on shorter contracts. across the whole range. 

How much space does a plastic baler need? 

We have product dimensions listed on every baler on each product page, if in doubt don't hesitate to give us a call, we can assess the site in person or by images or video and will ensure you get the right baler for your space before you order. 

What happens to the plastic bales? 

Plastic bales are strapped or tied, stored ready for collection and sent for recycling. We'll agree and share a collection schedule to avoid storage build ups on your site, and so your operation can run smoothly and efficiently. 

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