This comes alongside the introduction of its first electric refuse vehicle, as part of a £7.8m investment approved by councillors last week (8 January 2025).
The move will see 30 bin lorries running on HVO – a fuel made from used cooking oil and other waste-derived by-products – and one electric vehicle brought into service as the council’s existing fleet reaches the end of its operational life.
David Stanley, Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer at Cotswold District Council, said: “Our priority is to make sure we maintain a robust, reliable recycling service for residents.
“Replacing the fleet now ensures we avoid rising maintenance costs and reliability issues that could disrupt collections.
“At the same time, these changes allow us to make significant progress toward our carbon reduction goals.”
Kerbside collection to continue as normal
According to the council, waste and environment services account for around 43% of its total carbon emissions, with refuse collection vehicles responsible for a significant proportion of that figure.
Replacing the fleet is therefore seen as a key step in reducing emissions and supporting the authority’s target to cut carbon output by 80% by 2030.
The district’s kerbside sorting system will continue as normal, with no immediate alterations to collections.
Plans to introduce plastic film recycling in the future remain in place and are not affected by the fleet replacement.
Cotswold District Council currently operates 31 waste vehicles, many of which are approaching the end of their working lives.
Officers advised that extending their use was not recommended, as maintenance costs are expected to rise and vehicle reliability could deteriorate, increasing the risk of missed or disrupted collections.
‘Renewable diesel’
HVO is a renewable fuel made from waste cooking oils, animal fats and forestry materials that are thermochemically treated with hydrogen.
It is also known as “renewable diesel” and can be used as a drop-in fuel – meaning that no changes to the engine or infrastructure are needed.
A growing number of UK local authorities are turning to HVO to decarbonise their fleets.
Councils including North Ayrshire, Gravesham and North Kesteven have already switched portions of their refuse collection fleets to the renewable fuel as part of their own carbon reduction commitments.
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