Pneumatic Waste System

There had been a general assumption that the use of pneumatic waste system is reserved for the engineering and manufacturing industries alone. Similar to the Jetson style tube systems of the early 1900s, which shot memos around a complicated system to pass a message within an office. The pneumatic tube systems for waste disposal has been around since the 1960s and is used in some major cities including London, Stockholm, and Barcelona. As the need for hygienic disposal of increasing amounts of waste becomes more pressing every day, there is are considerations for moving towards a pneumatic underground solution.

How it works

The pneumatic waste system works this way. Residents separate their waste into outdoor and indoor units; each unit takes a certain kind of waste like organic, mixed or paper. The waste is then passed down into the valve room. The valve room controls the flow of waste using a pneumatic linear actuator which can be electronically switched on or off by operators in the control room. The waste then passes through 20-inch tubes, sucked by a vacuum at a speed of 30mph to 60mph before reaching a compactor, where the waste is compacted down to be taken off the island. It’s considered to be quite simple and elegant system, although currently requires a considerable amount of upkeep since it was first designed in the 70s.

A Viable Future?

Although the pneumatic waste system has several major advantages, it also comes with frequent problems along the way, but these may be as much to do with the old design of the system as anything else. For instance, when residents put large or sharp objects down the chute, it can cause breakages or tears — imagine a speeding vacuum cleaner heading towards a bend in the chute at 30mph and you get the idea — engineers are frequently called upon to repair tears and remove blocks, which can either cause the whole disposal system to be down for a while or the engineers dodging incoming traffic.

The main advantages of the pneumatic waste system are in monetary and environmental terms. It requires less staff for operation compared to the traditional method of collecting waste using trucks. Thereby, saving money on wages. In addition, vehicle expense such as fueling, maintenance and purchasing the vehicles themselves is completely eradicated.

More so, it offers a hygienic way of disposing waste. Also, the carbon emissions from vehicle use are no longer a problem. This means a healthier environment for residents; garage trucks no longer interfere with general traffic; streets are considered more aesthetically pleasing without bins lining the pavements and the risk of accidents caused by trucks is eradicated. Overall then, a pneumatic waste disposal system is regarded as safer, cheaper and better for the environment.

Highlighting more of its disadvantages. Pneumatic waste disposal system is not cost effective in low density areas, and in areas where the pneumatic systems is in use, not everything can be collected through the tubes. For instance, bulk wastes like appliances, furniture, etc. can’t be sucked into the suction tube the way they are fed into the back of a garbage truck.

However, these disadvantages are opportunities to bring the service infrastructure into the design discussion and raise important questions about public space. To set up pneumatic waste disposal system, developers or municipalities have to quantify the real cost of the current strategy, weigh the benefits, and project into the future.