Lorry will increase local recycling rate

A next generation refuse collection vehicle, which has been uniquely designed and manufactured in the UK to a very high specification for the council, will not only help the local authority to rev up the district’s recycling rate from 52% to 70% but also provide local householders with the most efficient and environmentally-friendly refuse collection service possible.

No other council in whole of the British Isles has a vehicle exactly like it and the council claim that none apart from themselves have shown such a unique and forward-thinking approach when it comes to enhancing how an essential service such as refuse collection is delivered.

The 32-tonne vehicle will enable Banbridge District Council to introduce a new kerbside scheme for recyclable waste in April, enabling the existing brown bin and new green bin to be collected together on the same day.

The ‘one collection, two bins’ approach will significantly reduce the cost of delivering the service and cut carbon emissions as only one journey is required to collect the refuse from both bins.

In addition, the new vehicle meets the requirements of the Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicles (EEV) standard. This surpasses the European emissions standard for diesel HGVs and is actually designed for emissions from gas powered vehicles.

The new vehicle is fitted with a large body specifically designed to separate recyclable waste from the green and brown bins. The main body of the vehicle is divided with a 70/30 split and contains a separate area to allow for the collection of glass. It also features a low level walk-in cab which offers safer access for the crew.

As well as improving how recyclable waste is collected, the vehicle also contains on-board weighing devices and tracking systems which will allow the council to monitor how much recyclable waste is being collected and which areas in the district are recycling the most.

The council has already taken possession of one vehicle and this is currently being used for commercial refuse collections. However, another two vehicles are on order and will be delivered in March prior to the new kerbside scheme being rolled out to residents.

Council Waste and Environment Manager Barry Patience said: “We have been successful in using this vehicle with commercial customers, and we are very confident that residents will find it better and more convenient as their brown bin and new green bin can be left out for collection on the same day at the same time.

“Technological advancements in vehicle design have helped us develop this unique new user friendly kerbside collection scheme, which will allow us to increase the district’s recycling rate while at the same protect the local environment.”