The Franklin County Sanitary Landfill operates six days a week for most of the year, running a highly coordinated operation to ensure the region’s waste is handled safely and responsibly. The landfill receives approximately 5,000 tons of municipal solid waste each day, serving 41 communities across central Ohio, including all of Franklin County and several neighboring areas. Managing that volume requires far more than a few bulldozers. It takes a specialized fleet of heavy equipment, a dedicated maintenance team and careful planning to keep operations running efficiently.
The Heavy Equipment Fleet
Operating a landfill that accepts thousands of tons of waste each day requires a diverse and powerful fleet of equipment. Every machine at the FCSL plays a specific role in receiving, compacting, covering and managing waste.
At the landfill’s working face, where haulers actively unload waste, compactors and dozers spread and compress incoming materials. Excavators, loaders, and dump trucks move soil and cover materials throughout the site. Street sweepers and water trucks help keep roadways clean and control dust, protecting both the environment and nearby motorists.
Additional support equipment maintains roadways, transports fuel and assists with other essential tasks across the landfill.
To support daily operations, the landfill operates approximately:
- 5 landfill compactors – Spread and compact incoming waste to reduce volume and extend landfill life
- 4 Waste handling dozers – Push the waste from the unloading area to the compactors on the working face
- 3 soil dozers – Push soil to cover waste and use on other site projects
- 4 excavators – Excavate and load articulated dump trucks with cover soil and dig trenches for gas system pipe installation and maintenance.
- 4 articulated dump trucks – Transport soil and materials across the landfill
- 2 front-end loaders – Move materials across the site
- 4 truck tippers – Safely unload waste from transfer trailers
- 4 street sweepers – Keep roadways clean and debris-free
- 2 water trucks – Control dust and wash roadways
- Additional support equipment, including backhoes, fuel trucks, a grader and a smooth drum roller
Why Fleet Management Matters
Effective fleet management is about more than simply owning the right equipment. It ensures the machines are available, reliable and used efficiently to support SWACO’s mission of championing transformational diversion programs and safe disposal of the waste stream.
Every cubic yard of landfill space is a limited resource. Proper compaction reduces waste volume, allowing more material to fit into the landfill and extending its operational life.
Safety is also a critical priority. The solid waste industry is considered one of the more hazardous occupations in North America. Maintaining reliable equipment helps reduce the risk of mechanical failures that could put operators or ground personnel at risk.
The performance of the fleet has a direct impact on service for the community. Every weekday, the landfill processes about 800 scale house transactions and moves thousands of tons of material across the working face. When an essential piece of equipment is down, it can ripple through the entire operation. Regular maintenance keeps equipment running smoothly, helping manage waste safely and without disruption.
Maintenance and Preventive Care
Behind every piece of heavy equipment is a team keeping it running. SWACO’s in-house crew manages repairs, maintenance, and equipment acquisition. In 2024 alone, they processed over 4,100 work orders supporting daily landfill operations.
Preventive maintenance is key. Unlike passenger vehicles, heavy equipment is serviced based on engine hours rather than calendar time. By tracking machine hours and wear, the team performs maintenance at the right intervals to prevent unexpected breakdowns.
Inventory specialists also oversee parts ordering and tracking. In 2024, they issued more than 11,000 parts to support fleet maintenance and repairs. Handling repairs and parts in-house allows SWACO to respond quickly and minimize equipment downtime.
A Community Resource
Behind the scenes, dozens of machines and skilled employees work together every day to safely manage the region’s waste. Efficient equipment operations protect public health, extend the life of the landfill, and ensure reliable service for communities across central Ohio. From routine maintenance inspections to every pass of a landfill compactor, the equipment at the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill plays a vital role in keeping the region clean, safe, and sustainable.