Due to arrive in October and December 2020, the 26-tonne eCollect trucks are said by the council to be designed to work in urban environments and produce no exhaust emissions.
Councillor Rowena Champion, executive member for environment and transport, said: “Our work on electrifying our refuse collection vehicles reflects our determination to ensure our residents have clean air to breathe.
“These vehicles will help cut carbon emissions, while also saving money compared to the less-environmentally friendly diesel alternative.
“We are committed to taking the lead in tackling the climate emergency by creating a net zero carbon borough by 2030 and are proud to be the first London authority to benefit from these exciting vehicles.”
The vehicles are to be based at the council’s waste and recycling centre on Cottage Road.
Dennis Eagle says the eCollect vehicles are much quieter than conventional collection trucks and, during the course of their lifetime, are expected to be cheaper to run.
The move comes amid an announced cut in tax relief from 2022 for red diesel, which is used by many operators to power vehicles and machinery.
HWRC
On 11 March the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the Greater London Assembly had awarded Islington £1,485,000 to support the installation of fleet charging infrastructure at the Cottage Road centre.
“This is a great example of how Londoners can take a lead in shaping the future of the capital”
Deputy mayor for planning, regeneration and skills Jules Pipe said: “The Mayor and I are committed to doing all we can to support projects which create opportunities to regenerate their local areas.
“This is a great example of how Londoners can take a lead in shaping the future of the capital.”
This money is to complement £1.5million of council funding towards the electrification of Islington’s vehicles, announced in the council’s budget last month, which will see a substation and high voltage connection installed at the Cottage Road centre.
The council says these will enable the electrification of all vehicles based at the depot, including cars, vans, school and community buses, street cleansing equipment and the refuse and recycling fleet.
Councillor Champion said: “The electrification of our fleet at the waste and recycling centre supports our efforts to clean up the air we breathe and cut carbon emissions.
“We’re very pleased that the GLA and Mayor of London has recognised the positive impact of our fleet electrification plans, which will support our plans to create a cleaner, greener future for local people.
“The council is working to tackle the climate emergency, and this project is part of our plans to invest serious money to exciting new environmental projects in the borough.”
Islington
With an estimated population of 215,667, the Labour-controlled borough of Islington had a recycling rate of 29% for the 2018/19 financial year. This is substantially lower than the national average of 45.1%.
In February, a street in Islington become the first area in London to be certified a ‘low plastic zone’ (see letsrecycle.com story). This street was chosen because more than three quarters of the businesses based there had “successfully, and permanently” reduced the single-use plastic they give to their customers, according to the NLWA, with many pledging to go further.
Subscribe for free