The council is looking to expand its collection vehicle fleet with the new vehicle, which is manufactured by Milton Keynes-based Trio and can be fitted with up to six collection compartments.
The key updated feature on the new Kerbside Kollector is a streamlined version of the computerised control system, a “central nervous system” which includes a touch-screen menu for operatives to run processes more smoothly.
 Trio's Kerbside Kollector II vehicle has been designed to prioritise operators' health and safety |
The vehicle has a pay load of just over six tonnes and the compartments can be adjusted prior to collection on estimated loads. Rob Mowat, sales manager at Trio, said that the new vehicle “owes a significant proportion of its design to operational feedback from our customers”.
Mr Mowat said: “Especially important from the operator's point-of-view today are the issues surrounding operative health and safety. The new vehicle contains many new features which address this.”
Derby city council, which currently uses three Kerbside Kollectors on its recycling scheme, was one of the local authorities that helped Trio to develop the new model.
Derby's new Kerbside Kollector will have three compartments for the collection of cans, plastic and glass. Derby's recycling service also uses a separate cage vehicle for paper and textiles.
Neil Haslam, waste management officer for the council said: “We need two collection vehicles on our rounds because of the amount of material we collect. We started off with one vehicle consisting of five sections but that wasn't enough.”
MRF
Mr Haslam explained that the need for segregated collections was important to Derby because the council didn't currently have access to a materials recycling facility (MRF). However, this situation is likely to change in the near future, he revealed.
“We are currently in the process of tendering for a MRF just outside of Derby. We have the proposals in and we are hoping to make a decision soon. We are keen to have something built within 12 to 18 months,” Mr Haslam explained.
He said this may mean there will be less need for the current collection vehicles, but that the council would be using the vehicles for the foreseeable future.
“Because we are on an alternate weekly residual waste and recycling scheme, we collected about 6,000 tonnes of material last year and the segregated vehicles are essential to our collections at the moment,” he said.
Derby is currently recycling 22% of its household waste, and has a target of 33% to meet by 2005/06.
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