Plans for a new fleet of cleaner and greener waste vehicles which will collect the city's waste and recycling materials will be discussed by Cardiff Council's Cabinet next Thursday (September 21st).
The proposed procurement for the new fleet of vehicles will - at a minimum - produce 90% less nitrogen oxide and particulates from each vehicle compared to the current fleet.
Cabinet member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, Cllr Michael Michael, said: "Vehicle emissions are one of the main sources of air pollution in the UK so it's important that we do what we can to reduce harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxide and particulates. We all want a greener city and its important that the Council can put vehicles on the road that pollute less."
Recycling and Waste Collection Vehicles (RCV's) are up to 26 tonnes in weight, start and stop regularly and are used up to16 hours a day so they use a large amount of fuel.
The majority of waste vehicles in the UK use diesel engines, but the proposed procurement will explore different fuel options, including compressed natural gas and hydrogen.
"We are looking across the world at technology advances in this area. Electric and hydrogen vehicles capable of this type of work are beginning to come on to the market but we need to be sure that they have been fully tried and tested to deliver what we need in an intensive work environment. There are new diesel type vehicles coming on to the market which can reduce emissions by up to 90% on current vehicles. We will be looking at what offers best value and best protection for the city's residents."
Food waste is currently collected in an RCV which is retrofitted so they do not leak and comply with Animal By-Products Legislation. These vehicles suffer more operational issues than a regular vehicle, so the tender process will explore specialist RCV's to collect food waste which are more efficient and cost less to operate.
Electric bin lifts that lift wheeled bins into the collection vehicle also reduce fuel use by 15%, so the tendering process will also explore this option.
Different financing options will also be assessed including ownership or lease arrangements, as well as maintenance options to keep the fleet in good working order.
All of these measures will deliver an affordable and more sustainable way to collect the city's waste.
The report to Cabinet outlines that the proposed way forward is to extend the current contract by one year, with a saving of up to £100,000 compared to the initial contract price.
This interim arrangement is being proposed while the procurement is advertised globally and carried out between December 2017 and April 2018.
The phased delivery of the new fleet of vehicles is expected to start in September/October 2018.