Over 1,550 tonnes of carbon emissions have been saved since two north Hampshire councils began fuelling their bin trucks with a low-emission biofuel.
In April last year, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council, who share a waste and recycling collection service, swapped their kerbside collection trucks from diesel to hydrogenated vegetable oil.
The vehicles did not need to be modified to swap from diesel to this alternative fuel and now emit up to 98% less carbon from their tailpipes, according to official government conversion factors.
The use of this more environmentally friendly fuel is part of the councils’ work to reduce their emissions in support of their climate emergency declarations.
Hart District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Corporate Services Cllr Richard Quarterman said: “As part of our climate goals for both the council and district, we are always looking for ways to deliver climate savings in our day-to-day services. Finding a way to significantly cut carbon emissions in this key council function has been important, and we continue to examine all services to find ways to make further savings.”