a method for handling waste in a system having multiple and operatively interconnected stations . each station has a closed hopper unit , a removable storage unit , and a compactor unit having a reciprocally driven compactor unit means . the method comprises the steps of : sensing the presence of an adjacent vehicle and opening the hopper unit and depositing waste therein ; sensing the absence of an adjacent vehicle and closing the open hopper unit ; actuating the compactor means to transfer waste from the hopper unit and compact the waste in the storage unit ; detecting the density of the compacted waste and comparing the density thereof to a predetermined value ; deactivating a station when the density of compacted waste therein exceeds the predetermined value ; activating an interconnected station having an empty storage unit ; and , removing the storage unit from the deactivated station for emptying .