by MAURA KELLER
At the 2023 WasteExpo in May, electric vehicle recycling and waste management trucks took center stage as more and more recycling companies, including construction and demolition (C&D) debris recycling haulers, are turning their attention to alternative fuel vehicles as part of their zero emission goals.
Graham Rihn, founder and chief executive officer at RoadRunner Recycling, said that within the construction and demolition segment of the recycling industry, as well as other areas of the industry, more and more entities are exploring alternative fuel options and vehicles for fleets.
“While it varies from company to company, the exploration of alternative fuel options in the waste and recycling industry is happening – particularly as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes some ambitious regulations for cutting pollution from vehicles,” Rihn said. “Some industry players have already implemented compressed natural gas (CNG) or hybrid vehicles into their fleets.” Not surprising, the current marketplace for CNG is driven by concerns about the cost, availability, and environmental impact of gasoline and diesel, the traditional fuels of transportation.
Others are still in the planning stages, or may be too small an operation to benefit from any changes at this time. As for fully electric vehicles, Rihn said that recycling companies are still in the very early stages of adoption as an industry, but some have plans to actively test fully electric trucks this year.
In March, Greensboro, North Carolina-based Mack Trucks announced its new Mack MD Electric, a medium-duty EV truck. Prior to the Mack MD Electric, the company had introduced the heavy-duty Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle in 2020. Mack joins other manufacturers who are rolling out electric recycling and waste management trucks as the technology continues to improve to meet the needs of C&D recycling companies, whose typical routes may average 100 miles per day. These fully electric waste and recycling vehicles are available in rear and automated side loaders and they are grabbing the attention of C&D waste haulers of all sizes.
According to a Waste Management (WM) spokesperson, WM operates the largest fleet of Class 8 heavy-duty natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in North America.
“We have been committed to alternative fuel options for more than 20 years, including renewable natural gas (RNG), electric vehicles and other technologies as we work to reduce our overall emissions and help achieve our sustainability goals.”
WM is planning to invest more than $1.2 billion from 2022-2025 to grow its renewable energy business. This planned investment is expected to support its objective to maximize allocation of RNG to the company’s CNG-powered fleet, aiming for 100 percent allocation by 2026.
“We have an ambitious goal of reducing our overall Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 42 percent by 2032, in alignment with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 C,” a WM spokesperson said. “More than 70 percent of WM’s routed fleet currently operate on compressed natural gas or renewable natural gas (RNG). Today, about 53 percent of the fuel that we allocate to our natural gas fleet is renewable, produced from biogas from both landfills and dairy farms.”
Evaluating the Options
Compressed natural gas produces fewer emissions than diesel or gasoline, which is a step in the right direction. In fact, natural gas produces fewer greenhouse gases than any other form of transportation fuel. Also, more stringent government regulations worldwide and an increase in consumer concern with emissions make CNG a very attractive alternative to gas and diesel within the C&D recycling industry. Additionally, CNG is typically a lower fuel cost than diesel, which will positively impact the bottom line of many C&D recycling companies.
“In the recycling industry, CNG trucks are often referred to as a ‘bridge technology,’ meaning they will help us in the transition to more sustainable options,” Rihn said.
Hybrid vehicles used for C&D recycling further reduce their carbon footprint by leveraging the efficiency of electricity but still maintain the mileage range that gasoline or diesel engines offer.
As Rihn explained, right now electric vehicles are mostly capable in shorter-range applications and are still being tested across the industry.
“As technology advances to accommodate longer-ranges and lower-cost models, there should be a higher adoption rate. Ultimately, all electric will provide great advantages including zero emissions, lower operating costs, longer truck life, and even quieter trucks on the road,” Rihn said.
At RoadRunner in particular, they don’t own trucks, rather they work with trusted hauling partners.
“Our partners currently vary in where they are in their sustainable trucking lifecycles, however, alternative fuel vehicles have been an ongoing topic across the industry,” Rihn said.
Exploring New Transportation Avenues
So what are the biggest challenges surrounding these alternative fuel options and vehicles for recycling companies?
Quite simply, the upfront cost of acquiring an alternative fuel recycling truck is one of the biggest challenges. As Rihn pointed out, not only are alternative fuel trucks expensive, there is limited availability for fueling or charging infrastructure. This means that CNG and electric vehicles may require installation of new fueling stations or charging infrastructure, which only adds to the total monetary investment needed to adopt solutions like these.
“The recycling and waste industry is well-suited for this kind of transition. Trucks typically operate consistent routes and return to a base to refuel, most times,” Rihn said. “Yes, the industry will need to adapt, however, the rate of progression to more sustainable options will be dictated by government regulations, technological and infrastructure advancements, and fleet degradation.”
As technology evolves, the WM team expects electric vehicles to be more compatible with its operations, but right now, electric Class 8 heavy-duty vehicles present challenges regarding weight, cost, range and energy capabilities. WM is examining where current EV capabilities align with its operation as the company continues to seek alternative fuel options and route optimization for waste collection.
“We are also currently integrating EV pickup trucks for on-site use, which helps to minimize emissions in our day-to-day operations,” the WM spokesperson said. “WM was at the forefront of the shift to CNG and RNG-powered vehicles in our industry, and we began adopting the technology about 20 years ago, gradually expanding the fuel use across our operations as cost and technology evolved. We believe that the adoption of EV will be similar as technology and capabilities improve.”
As Rihn further explained, the government has made it clear that reducing carbon emissions and our country’s carbon footprint is top priority through the proposed Inflation Reduction Act
and more.
“As regulations are put in place and become increasingly strict, this will be a forcing function. As technology advances, lower-cost and longer-range models will become available. Alongside this, there will be more widespread and better infrastructure opportunities, which will increase an industry’s willingness to invest,” Rihn said. “Lastly, the industry has already invested millions of dollars in truck fleets. As these trucks near their end of life, waste and recycling companies will be more likely to strategically invest in new hybrid or electric trucks that can support increased efficiency, cost savings, and a reduced environmental impact.”
Chris Yuan, Ph.D., Leonard Case Jr. Professor of Engineering at Case Western Reserve University said that it will take some years or decades to gradually switch, but the government could play a role in expediting the switch.
“It depends on the cost and benefits,” Yuan said. “When the cost of ownership of these alternative fuel vehicles can be made much lower than that of conventional vehicles, we will see a rapid increase of their adoptions in industry. I believe it will continue to evolve in the following years or decades.”
As published in June 2023 issue of American Recycler.