Abstract: An improved refuse compactor comprising a compactor body, a pusher blade assembly longitudinally movable back and forth along approximately the whole length of the chamber, a carriage behind the pusher blade and also being guided for longitudinal back and forth movement along approximately half the length of the chamber, a first pair of fluid cylinders operatively associated between the carriage and the pusher blade, and a second pair of fluid cylinders operatively associated between the front end of the compaction chamber and the carriage, the arrangement being such that compacted waste material within the chamber is ejected by firstly actuating one pair of the cylinders and then the other said pair.