Waste and recycling vehicles to reduce co2 emissions by 90 per cent

Bridgend County Borough Council’s waste and recycling contractor, Kier, are now using 40 vehicles powered by Hydrogenised Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel, this will help to reduce co2 emissions by 90 per cent.

The move is in line with Bridgend County Borough Council’s 2030 Net Zero Carbon Strategy and it’s thought that by switching to an alternative fuel method such as Hydrogenised Vegetable Oil, the service could reduce CO2 emissions by around 800 tonnes per annum.

This will represent around a 90 per cent carbon reduction from the current waste and recycling operation’s carbon footprint.

The council and Kier have agreed to share the additional costs for implementing the new initiative, which represents a very positive change at a relatively low cost.

It’s really encouraging to see Kier looking at ways to make their operation as sustainable as possible for the environment.

We recognise that in the medium to long term, the highest environmental benefit in terms of fleet provision will be a change to ULEV Electric/Hydrogen powered vehicles that produce zero emissions in use and the result is phenomenal.

When fuelled by a renewable energy supply, these vehicles represent the cleanest possible method of collecting recycling and waste. Going forward, we will also consider a wide range of options, which will not only help reduce our carbon footprint but will also be cost-effective to implement.”

Councillor John Spanswick, Cabinet Member for Communities