A baling press is a dedicated waste management machine that compresses recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, and plastic, into dense, manageable bundles (bales). Also called a baler or baling machine, a baling press is a large steel chamber with a pressing plate that runs up and down to press the material inside.

The press creates thick, compressed bales are then collected by waste collection companies who send them to recycling companies for resale and reuse.

A baling press is typically only used for recyclable materials: paper & cardboard, plastic, polystyrene, cans and drums, metal, and glass, though they can be used to press unorthodox materials such as car bumpers or clothes.

They are mostly used in commercial and industrial sectors by businesses that generate this type of waste in their production/daily operation and want to dispose of them in a more sustainable manner. Food production factories, hotels, supermarkets, wholesalers, warehouses, and restaurants are just a few examples of sectors where the use of baling presses has increased exponentially in the past years.