Casella Waste Systems, Inc., introduced its Mack® LR Electric model, the first electric refuse vehicle in the State of Vermont, in a ceremony at the Killington Grand Hotel.
Casella’s LR Electric refuse truck is the first in its fleet and has been equipped with an automated side-loader with a split body for collecting waste and recycling simultaneously.
By switching one truck from diesel to electric, Casella expects to conserve over 7,500 gallons of diesel fuel per year, which has an immediate benefit to our air and climate. Because the fleet will be charging with Green Mountain Power, which delivers 100 percent carbon-free electricity, the company expects to eliminate over 78 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
The Mack LR E will be used on residential routes in the Rutland Region and was partially made possible when Casella successfully secured grant funding through the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. Casella believes that Vermont will provide the right proving ground for the pilot program.
“Sustainable innovation is core to everything we do as a company,” said Casella chairman and chief executive officer, John W. Casella. “The opportunity to pilot the Mack LR Electric in Vermont will help us evaluate whether this is a viable option in other markets that we serve. The opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining a high level of service to our customers, is key to us.”
Published in the February 2023 Edition