East Hampshire’s new food waste vehicles are trialling using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as fuel, which is reducing the carbon impact of the new service.
The seven food waste vehicles that serve the district are currently running on HVO, the production and use of which reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to standard diesel.
HVO burns cleaner than standard diesel, with reduced soot, sulphur dioxide and other airborne particles. It’s also non-toxic, biodegradable and odourless so it’s safer to handle and for the environment in the event of a spillage.
The food waste vehicles are standard diesel vehicles that have been emptied of diesel and switched to HVO without any specialist adaptations, so it is possible to switch back to diesel later if needed.
Councillor Robert Mocatta, East Hampshire District Council portfolio holder for Regeneration and Prosperity (which includes climate and environment), said:
“The introduction of seven new vehicles visiting more than 57,000 homes district-wide every week was always going to add to the carbon footprint of our waste services.
“By trialling using HVO for food waste collections, we’re taking steps to minimise the impact that collecting the waste has on the environment as well as providing the environmental benefits of natural gas and fertiliser from the anaerobic digestion process.”