Mayor Ras J. Baraka unveiled five new Compressed Natural Gas Refuse Trucks, to be used by the Department of Neighborhood and Recreational Services’ Division of Sanitation yesterday at the front steps of City Hall.
Powered by natural gas instead of diesel fuel, Compressed Natural Gas Refuse Trucks will help to decrease air pollution in Newark, enhancing sustainability and making it greener. The CNG Refuse trucks reduce noise and the carbon footprint, which is more efficient during refuse collection.
The CNG trucks have the ability to perform well in cold weather including down time, operational effectiveness, and maintenance. The goal being to ensure quality service during the winter seasons and minimize interruption of services. The CNG trucks will be used in the same way as diesel trucks with no changes to the refuse collection services or the daily driving routes.
Natural gas fuel costs up to $1.50 less per gallon than gasoline or diesel, depending on local market conditions. The use of compressed natural gas fuel will recoup the higher costs of a natural gas truck within two years through fuel savings. As the cost of diesel continues to rise, lower cost natural gas prices remain relatively stable, making natural gas an economical choice to meet short-haul and vocational needs. The typical savings per truck are about $30,000 a year.
The City of Newark is the only municipality using CNG trucks for refuse collection in Essex County. These trucks will be a part of the City’s long term plan to bring garbage collection in-house and reduce the use of outside contractors.
