Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum refuse collector comprising: a body; a refuse container mounted on the body having a refuse chamber; a filter in the refuse chamber of the refuse container dividing the refuse chamber into a refuse side and a non-refuse side; a flexible refuse tube communicating with the refuse chamber on the refuse side of the filter; an atmosphere port; an air velocity increasing means; duct means forming a first air path from the non-refuse side of the refuse chamber to the inlet of the air velocity increasing means, through the air velocity increasing means and then to atmosphere and a second air path from the atmosphere port to the inlet of the air velocity increasing means through the air velocity increasing means and to the non-refuse side of the refuse chamber; and control means for controlling the differential of air velocity in the first path and the second path to control the air velocity in the pick up tube.