Abstract: A solid waste baling machine having a compacting chamber, a charging passage with an exit and in communication with the compacting chamber, a compacting ram head reciprocable between extended and retracted positions in the charging passage and defining in an extend position a sidewall of the compacting chamber, and a discharge passage having a discharge ram head reciprocable between extended and retracted positions in the compacting chamber and discharge passage and defining in a retracted position an end wall of the compacting chamber is provided with a discharge passage sidewall adjacent the exit end of the charging passage which is mounted for incremental lateral inward and outward movement perpendicular to the axis of the discharge passage by means of a sidewall ram to control the advance of a bale of solid waste in the discharge passage and to maintain proper positioning of the bale in the discharge passage.