Liverpool’s waste vehicles to be powered by biomethane

The UK’s biggest fleet of refuse vehicles is about to hit the streets of Liverpool.

Powered by biomethane, a compressed natural gas (CNG), the 20 strong fleet is part of a drive to improve the collection and recycling of household waste across the city to help reach a target of recycling more than 55% of waste.

According to Liverpool City Council, the vehicles produce 80% fewer carbon emissions and 90% nitrogen oxide than the previous diesel vehicles. Each new wagon is expected to cover more than 150,000 miles a year.

Liverpool Streetscene Services Ltd (LSSL), a subsidiary of Liverpool City Council, has invested £3.4m in the wagons.

A CNG station has been installed at LSSL’s refuse collection depot — and the new vehicles cost 35% less in fuel costs compared to like-for-like diesel vehicles.

The fleet is also being especially wrapped with promotional material, designed by the council’s in-house marketing team, with messages about how best to tackle climate change.

According to recent government statistics, the city has already achieved an 18% reduction in carbon emissions since 2012 and is on course to hit 35% by the end of 2020.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: ‘This investment in a new fleet of refuse vehicles is a great statement of intent in our goal to make Liverpool a cleaner and greener city.

‘The council inherited a tired and run down fleet which was inefficient, unreliable and costly. Having a brand new refuse fleet that is bigger, more efficient and safer gives our collection teams the right tools to ensure residents receive a more reliable service.

‘However, we still need residents to take action by reducing, reusing and recycling their waste enable us to hit our targets and reduce the costs to them.’

The city of Bristol already has a permanent biomethane gas filling station for the city’s growing fleet of biomethane buses.

The biogas that fuels the buses is provided by the Gas Bus Alliance (GBA) and comes from waste food and is supplied from anaerobic digesters across the UK.

Photo Credit – Liverpool City Council