Green machines just got greener

Date: 16 January 2007

A new recycling and waste collection scheme launched by Hart District Council has just become even greener following a switch to run its trucks on a blend of environment-friendly fuel.

The Council’s new eight-strong fleet of waste, recycling and glass collection vehicles have been switched to run on biodiesel rather than basic diesel.

Biodiesel is a mix of plant oils, similar to cooking oil, which is then blended with conventional diesel oil.  At current rates biodiesel makes up 5% of the fuel powering Hart’s trucks.

This means that fuel in our trucks is 5% carbon neutral because the carbon dioxide released into the air by the trucks is absorbed as new plants are grown to make more plant oils to add to biodiesel.

The advantages of running the Council’s fleet of collection trucks, which travel over 100,000 miles annually, on the new fuel is not only more environment-friendly, but it is also cheaper than conventional diesel and enables the trucks to travel more miles to the gallon.

Commenting on the switch to one of the greenest fuels currently available, Cabinet Member for Waste and Recycling, Cllr Denis Gotel said:

“This is just another illustration of how seriously the Council takes its responsibilities towards the environment and the need to get the best deal for council tax payers.

“Plants grown to produce biodiesel absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Our trucks burn the fuel made from these plants and release carbon dioxide, this is then absorbed as more plants grow. This process is called ‘carbon neutral’,” Cllr Gotel added.

Editor’s notes

Biodiesel is generally produced from 'oily' crops like rapeseed, sunflower, palm etc recovered from used cooking oil.

Hart Council’s new fleet of trucks was introduced as part of the council’s £2m switch to Alternate Bin Collection where recyclable and non-recyclable waste is collected on alternate weeks.  Material that Hart currently collects for recycling includes: paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tin and aluminium cans. The Council also operates a kerbside collection of glass bottles and jars across 96% of the District.