Veolia and Southwark Council have secured new lithium-ion powered forklifts to assist in the council’s plans to be carbon-neutral by 2030.
The four new forklifts are lithium-ion battery-powered, and are a key part of the recycling infrastructure, used to transport compacted bales of waste from the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) floor into shipping containers to be transported and recycled.
Each vehicle is fitted with a sonar mechanism which calculates the reverse trajectory, scans surroundings, and automatically slows the vehicle when obstacles are detected.
The forklifts also aim to support operational efficiency and sustainability, replacing previously trialled diesel and lead-acid battery models.
According to Veolia, older models frequently faced challenges such as overheating, mechanical breakdowns and inflexible battery charging requirements, which made them ill-suited for the dynamic MRF environment.
The new forklifts are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which have a comparatively longer lifespan of approximately eight to ten years.
When batteries reach the end of their optimal operational life, they will be repurposed for uses such as energy storage, before eventually processed securely at a dedicated battery recycling facility.
Matthew Crane, Regional Manager at Veolia Southwark, said:
“Our investment in four lithium-ion clamp trucks marks a significant milestone in Veolia Southwark’s journey towards ecological transformation. After years of trialling different solutions, we’ve found the perfect balance between sustainability and operational efficiency.
“These vehicles not only address the unique challenges of our MRF environment but also align with the carbon-neutrality goals we are working towards in partnership with Southwark Council.”
Image courtesy of Veolia/Southwark
