Front vs Rear End Loaders

Does your business produce lots of dry waste such as cardboard and paper, general waste, or dry mixed recycling? If you’re looking for a cost-effective solution for affordable commercial waste management in the UK then you might consider a front or rear end loader bin. Storing more waste can reduce how many collections you need and cut your waste management costs.

Front and rear end loaders are both big static metal containers, similar in size and shape to a skip. However, they’re generally more secure than skips as they each have a roof and lockable lids. They’re placed in a set position on your site and specialist lifting equipment empties and removes them.

You can use either a front or rear end loader to store a range of dry waste types but not glass, liquid, or hazardous waste. While rear and front end loader bins are cut from the same cloth there are some important differences between the two. Work out which is best for your business below.

The main difference between front and rear end loader bins are their sizes and shapes. They both come in different sizes, but generally, rear end loaders are larger waste containers. For example, a 10-yard front end loader can hold around 80 bags of waste while a 10-yard rear end loader has the capacity for up to 100 bags of waste.

It’s the shape that affects their capacity. This also impacts how you access these skips to throw away bags of waste. With a front end loader, you simply lift the lid and drop in your waste like a big wheelie bin. The lids of some FELs are split into two panels or there may be a panel on the side you slide across for access.

With a rear end loader, access is at the back. Their shape is more like a traditional skip with a lid that you lift from the back to drop in waste. It’s normally a slanting lid that you pull up while the top of the bin has a metal roof or plastic panel covering it to protect contents from rain and theft.

There are benefits to using either waste container, the right one depends on your company’s waste management needs.

The main reasons to consider a front end loader rather than a rear end loader bin are:

• Need less space – front end loaders are smaller and have more of a cuboid shape compared to their rear end alternatives. This makes it easier to slot into tighter areas for businesses where space on-site is limited.
• Easy to access – the shape and simple lid are light and easy for most people to lift when throwing away waste. They can be placed in a position to ensure access is good for everyone who uses the bin.
• Slightly cheaper – as front end loaders are generally smaller than rear end loaders they can be cheaper to use. This includes any purchase, hire, rental, and collection costs.