Portable Alligator Shear for Size Reduction of Oversized Plastic Scrap

A portable, gas-powered, hydraulic alligator shear that reportedly can quickly cut oversized plastic items into smaller pieces so they can be shredded for reuse in production or hauled away to landfills have been developed by BCA Industries. The new PGS100 enables processors to shear any plastic object—including garbage cans, storage bins, or wash tubs, up to 48-in. in diameter. Tires and other materials of a similar size can also be reduced before shredding.

Although alligator shears-- characterized by the hinged opening of the cutting blades which creates a tight shear action when hydraulically closed, are well established in the recycling industry, most are stationary. Said BCA Industries’ industrial consultant John Neuens, “A portable platform allows the initial size reduction to be performed onsite, instead of first transporting the oversize material to a stationary shear located elsewhere, and then possibly having to transport it again for final shredding…When recyclers cannot shred the largest plastic objects, they shy away from what can be a lucrative revenue source.”

For recycling, the unit’s 26.5-hp hydraulic drive is said to provide the power to automatically lift large or bulky plastic objects onto a mobile platform and shear them into more manageable sized pieces. This enables easy shearing with minimal lifting and/or manual handling. This portable shear needs only one person to operate it, freeing recycling staff to tend to other tasks. To increase safety, the shear requires the use of two hands, ensuring the equipment activates only when the operator is ready