The City of London Corporation will run a full fleet of electric refuse collection vehicles (ERCVs), it has announced.
Following recent trials of the new technology, five trucks have been delivered to the City Corporation at Guildhall.
The vehicles will form the UK’s first zero emission recycling and waste collection fleet and will collect residents’ waste and recycling in the Square Mile, the authority has claimed.
The trucks will be operated by environmental services firm Veolia, and includes a range of 18-tonne and 26-tonne trucks, powered by lithium-ion batteries.
The vehicles are specifically designed for urban environments with short routes – and the trucks will complete a shift on a single charge. There is new technologies and charging infrastructure for the vehicles.
The trucks are part of the City Corporation’s plan to ensure at least 90% of the Square Mile meets World Health Organisation guidelines for nitrogen dioxide by 2025.
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Environment Committee, Keith Bottomley, said: “These new vehicles will help to further drive down air pollution in the City and improve the environment. Our fleet vehicles emitted about 400 tonnes of CO2e in 2018/19, so this change of fleet is of great significance.
“Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to public health with up to 36,000 people dying prematurely every year in the UK.
“We will continue to take steps to ensure that we are reducing emissions from our entire vehicle fleet, for the benefit of all.”
Pascal Hauret, managing director, municipal for Veolia UK, said: “This new electric solution opens new possibilities for cleaner air in cities, with the potential of recharging the vehicles using electricity generated from the waste they carry via Energy Recovery Facilities.
“It marks a major step forward towards carbon net zero targets, and highlights how local authorities can drive sustainability and address their environmental challenges.”
- image courtesy of the City of London Corporation
