Waste Management NZ has demonstrated its first electric truck for residential wheelie bin waste collection. The city of Christchurch will put an electric truck into service in October, and more are scheduled to join the fleet in other New Zealand cities by the end of the year.

The company has already introduced more than 20 electric cars to its light fleet, and launched an electric box body truck, which collects food waste from Countdown supermarkets across Auckland, earlier this year.

Waste Management NZ uses modern landfill technology that holds all waste in a sealed environment. It captures the gas emitted from the waste as it digests anaerobically, and uses it to generate power, which is fed into the national grid. The company says up to 95% of gas emissions are captured, generating enough energy to power 18,000 homes.

“With a large fleet of trucks and cars on the road we believe we can help safeguard our environment for future generations through the adoption of electric vehicle technology,” said Managing Director Tom Nickels. “I am delighted we’re bringing this strategy to life by rolling out electric trucks across New Zealand.”

Source: Waste Management NZ