Abstract: A device for compacting trash and the like comprises a bin having an open top through which the material to be compacted can be passed and walls which define a volume into which the material is deposited. A horizontally disposed, rectangular pressure plate for compacting the material is horizontally driven from a zone horizontally removed from the open top into a region above the volume. The pressure plate is vertically driven between the region and the volume to compact the material in the bin and is returned to the region. The plate is vertically driven by first and second vertical pistons that are respectively positioned to drivingly engage opposite, straight, parallel edges of the pressure plate. The pistons are separately driven by fluid pressure until the fluid pressure acting on one of the pistons reaches a predetermined value.