Waste collection system for segregating solid waste into preselected component materials

Claim 1

An improved waste collection system of the type for collection waste from on-site locations along a route and transporting the collected waste to a centralized dumping station, said system comprising: (a) at least one on-site waste storage container having a bottom and an upstanding wall defining an interior including divider means forming at least two waste-receiving compartments therein each for receiving predetermined different types of waste, said compartments each having an openable cover moveable between an open and a closed position; (b) a mobile waste collection device having upstanding side walls, said collection device having at least a partially open top defining a waste-receiving hopper for receiving waste emptied into said collection device, said collection device having divider means associated therewith separating the waste collection device into separate chambers each for temporary storage and transportation of predetermined different types of waste; (c) loader means associated with said collection vehicle having container pick-up means for releasably holding said container and lift means for elevating said container from a lowered on-site location to a dump position in which the container is at least partially inverted over said hopper area; and (d) said container in said dump position being positioned relative to said chambers to move said covers to an open position each adjacent a separate chamber to substantially cause the contents of the container compartments to be emptied into separate chambers of the waste collection device thereby segregating the waste into preselected types of waste in the collection operation.