Abstract: Disclosed is a refuse compactor particularly designed for aircrafts, which comprises a compaction chamber having a movable wall panel that extends parallel to one of the side wall of the compaction chamber, and can be moved away from this side wall through a very simple mechanism which is operated either directly by a hand-lever or indirectly through the service door of the compactor cabinet when this service door is closed for refuse compaction into a container. In both cases, the very purpose of this lateral motion of the movable wall panel relative to the adjacent side wall is to release the pressure of the refuse container inside the compaction chamber after completion of the compaction, and thus makes this container easily discardable into a storage chamber if any, or out of the compactor. The operation of the movable wall panel is exclusively mechanical and is therefore very simple and reliable.