Abstract: A device for discharging refuse through a discharge pipe being in communication with a hopper having an outlet through which refuse is successively introduced into the discharge pipe from a vacuum transport system performs the following operations:A compactor gate is advanced into the discharge pipe in a direction perpendicular to the length dimension of the discharge pipe at a location between the hopper outlet and a discharge outlet to block the internal longitudinal passage thereof to substantially prevent air from being drawn into the vacuum transport system through discharge outlet and the hopper. Thereafter, a compactor pusher is repeatedly reciprocated in the discharge pipe from a withdrawn limit position in which communication between the hopper outlet and the discharge pipe is open, towards the lowered compactor gate to accumulate and compress successively introduced refuse between the compactor pusher and the compactor gate.