Trucking with better fuel economy, lower emissions: Guest commentary

Unquestionably, at some point in your day, a person pass by a Waste Administration truck, perhaps collecting recycling where possible in your neighborhood or using one of California’s highways. Whatever you may not know is that the Waste materials Management fleet is one of the the most sustainable on the road, having committed earlier to reducing carbon emissions and then achieving those objectives well ahead of schedule. That is why we support the actual National Highway Traffic Security Administration (NHTSA) and Oughout. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently proposed stage 2 greenhouse gas decrease rule to cut carbon air pollution and increase the fuel effectiveness of medium and heavy-duty trucks. We can speak through experience: these standards tend to be tough yet achievable with the strategy to convert our navy to natural gas.

Our mission would be to leave the planet to upcoming generations in better form than we received this. In 2007, Waste Supervision identified a set of sustainability targets, including reducing the green house gas emissions of our organization fleet 15 percent through 2020. We exceeded which benchmark in 2011 when we decreased fleet emissions by more than 20 percent. How? Through our own steady conversion to a fast comprising cleaner-burning, natural gas-fueled vehicles.

In Southern California, eighty-five percent of the Waste Operations fleet has been converted to gas, which emits 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fuels. Nationwide, almost 25 percent of our more than eighteen, 000 refuse trucks operate on natural gas, making Waste Management’s fleet of natural gas, heavy-duty vehicles the largest in North America.

As well as we’re committed to do much more. At least 90 percent of our own new fleet purchases will probably be normal gas trucks.

In the beginning, that wasn’t easy to achieve the required gains. We faced obstacles and experienced a high learning curve. We not just needed engine technology in order to catch up with and ultimately exceed where we wanted to go, however our success was dependent upon a proliferation associated with natural gas fueling infrastructure. All of us remained steadfast in our dedication, because our drivers as well as customers loved the silent, smooth, clean trucks. Dealing with local communities, we set up a number of anchor natural gas encouraging stations that can be used by the general public and city fleets. After we could reliably fuel the particular fleet, we were off and also running, and have since already been joined by other navy operators.

Heavy-duty natural gas motor technology is constantly improving. Like in future model years, closed crankcases will enable a decrease in fugitive methane emissions -- making an already thoroughly clean technology even more environmentally helpful. To further reduce our varieties of greenhouse gas footprint, Waste Managing is expanding its utilization of renewable natural gas (RNG), that is collected from landfill fuel and, on a lifecycle foundation, reduces the greenhouse gasoline footprint upwards of 90 %. We fuel 380 selection trucks in California upon RNG and are expanding that will number.

If we can get the idea right in California, all of us open a pathway for some to also get it correct. Collectively, we can reduce the effect the transportation sector is wearing the carbon pollution in which contributes to global climate modify.

We attribute a great portion of our success to the powerful relationship we have with the Southern Coast Air Quality Management Region, the local communities where we all operate, and the engine producers whose technological advancement the ambitious goals relied upon.

Because NHTSA and EPA keep a public hearing soon in Long Beach to acquire input about the stronger gas efficiency standards for heavy-duty pickup trucks, we want our Southern California clients to know that we support typically the agencies’ goals and think our transition to a natural gas fast has been good for customers, great for communities and good for each of our business.

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