Dump truck to be powered by the rubbish it collects

An electric refuse collection van powered by the rubbish it collects has been put into action by Kirklees Council in Yorkshire, in what council leaders believe to be a world first.

The battery-powered electric van, supplied by Smith Electric Vehicles, will be used to empty 25 newly-installed split litter and recycling bins around Huddersfiled town centre. The waste that cannot be recycled will then be taken to a local Energy from Waste (EfW) plant, which combusts it to generate electricity that will in part be used to recharge the van's battery.

Councillor David Sheard said he believed the closed loop system to be the first such scheme in the world, adding that it delivered significant benefits to council tax payers.

"The new electric vehicle has zero emissions, low 'fuel' costs, low maintenance costs and benefits from zero-fee road fund licence," he said. "It is practically silent and has a battery with a potential life of five years which is also 100 per cent recyclable – one battery charge can power the vehicle for more than 100 miles."

The bins will be emptied daily and will be strategically sited near food retailers and places where people eat their lunch and generate high quantities of recyclable waste.

The council has funded the purchase of the electric vehicle through its Council Wide Initiative (CWI) Transport Allocation, which was developed to encourage the use of cleaner fuels, reduce the need for car travel and reduce carbon emissions.

If the initiative proves successful, the council said that it would look to replace other vehicles across its fleet with electric alternatives.