Abstract: Plants are used for the reduction in volume of solid, bioinjurious wastes, especially radioactive wastes, in closed sheet metal containers, which consist of a closed containment enclosure having roller conveyors and other transportation elements, a container receiving lock, a high pressure press and a container discharge lock; a compacting apparatus is characterized by a container charging lock rotatable around the vertical axis and having a hydraulic cylinder for transporting the sheet metal container into the high pressure press and having a hydraulic for ejecting the shaped sheet metal container whereby a movable gripping element takes charge of transportation of the formed sheet metal container to the container discharge point.