Vertical refuse baler

A vertical baler, comprising:

• a frame defining a compaction chamber;
• a platen configured for vertical travel within the compaction chamber to compact refuse contained within the compaction chamber;
• a linear actuator coupled to the platen and configured to raise and lower the platen within the compaction chamber;
• an electric motor coupled to the linear actuator and configured to control extension and retraction of the linear actuator;
• an encoder coupled to the electric motor and configured to measure rotation of the motor;
• and
• one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, from the encoder, data indicating rotations of the electric motor;
• determining, based on the data indicating rotations of the electric motor, a position of the platen within the compaction chamber;
• receiving data indicating an amount of amperage being drawn by the electric motor;
• and
• determining, based on the data received from the encoder, that the position of the platen within the compaction chamber corresponds to a threshold position;
• determining that the amount of amperage being drawn by the electric motor corresponds to a threshold amperage;
• and
• in response to determining that the position of the platen within the compaction chamber corresponds to the threshold position and the amperage being drawn by the electric motor corresponds to the threshold amperage, causing a refuse bale to be ejected from the compaction chamber.