The Trash Master 400 Auto Screen from ScreencO took more than six years of research, design, testing and modifying before being released.

Scott Meyer was co-owner of a septic and wastewater treatment plant in Washington, and in the early years of operation, he struggled to find an efficient form of screening grease and waste. So he decided to make his own, and founded ScreencO Systems.

“It took two years to source materials for the design and the drive system that we wanted to use for the Trash Master 400 Auto Screen. After many hours of design analyses and changes, we finally went to the shop to build our first prototype, and tested it at our receiving plant,” Meyer explains. “Then we completely tore it apart, and after much more research and development, we built the second prototype.”

The team did more testing and modifying, and soon after the product was ready for sale. The design uses gravity to separate the flow stream through a 4-inch inlet with fan spreader to power-offload vacuum trucks to the screen. 

Wastewater is pumped into an aluminum hopper with a 6-inch outlet cam and 3/8-inch gapped 1/4-inch bar screen that meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 503 regulations to separate water and trash. Collected trash is directed to a stainless steel U-channel where an 8 1/2-inch alloy steel shaftless screw moves trash through the channel into a waste container or dumpster. 

“The Trash Master is simple with one moving part and uses gravity to separate the trash from the flow stream, so it has a very low maintenance cost,” Meyer says. “And the U-channel separator has a replaceable UHMW Titanium Liner.”

Built-in nozzles are located on the front spray bar and on the lower cover to keep the unit clean and free of buildup. A 2 hp NORD gear-reduction drive with Lenze variable-frequency drive control is used to control the speed of the auger and capable of 6 to 30 rpm. 

Meyer says Screenco listens to advice of customers and has made a few small updates to meet their needs over the years. Customers report their crews are thankful they don’t have to rake trash by hand anymore. 208-790-8770;  www.screencosystems.com