Grundon commits £600,000 to electric collection vehicles
Grundon Waste Management has invested £600,000 to convert two of its existing vehicles from diesel to electric.
This initial commitment is part of Grundon’s ongoing annual £5 million investment programme to improve its fleet of road-going waste collection vehicles.
The company partnered with Refuse Vehicle Solutions (RVS) to carry out a series of test collections in and around Central and West London, Slough and Windsor.
Bradley Smith, director at Grundon, said: “Having proved that the vehicle is more than capable of operating a full day on just one charge, we have every confidence that, as we retrofit this clean technology onto two of our own vehicles, customers and local residents will see the increased benefits of our zero emission and zero noise collections.”
The all-electric e-One refuse collection vehicle is the result of a joint initiative between RVS and Dutch company EMOSS, specialists in converting diesel vehicles into electric vehicles.
The work to retrofit the first of Grundon’s collection vehicles is expected to begin before the end of 2021.
Specialist Fleet Services bags seven-year contract
Somerset West and Taunton and North Devon councils have awarded a seven-year contract hire agreement for the provision and maintenance of their fleets to Specialist Fleet Services Ltd (SFS).
The contracts, which both commenced on 1 October, involve the replacement and management of nearly 200 vehicles.
SFS, which already manages the fleets for Mid-Devon district council and Exeter city council in the South West, will run the fleets separately although there will be some sharing of workshop facilities.
Somerset West and Taunton Council’s fleet comprises approximately 120 vehicles, primarily LCVs, and maintenance will be carried out at a new workshop being established at the council’s depot.
Stuart Noyce, assistant director, commercial services, Somerset West and Taunton council, said: “Decarbonisation is a major focus for us going forward and they will be helping us in the transition to electric vehicles, both in terms of advising regarding suitable vehicle technology and helping us to develop the appropriate charging infrastructure.”
ISS given safety accreditation
Vehicle safety technology and software company Innovative Safety Systems Ltd (ISS) has been awarded accreditation from Alcumus SafeContractor for “achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace”.
Alcumus SafeContractor is a third-party accreditation scheme, which looks to recognise standards in health and safety management amongst contractors.
Chris Fletcher, quality and compliance engineer at ISS says: “Safety and compliance is our business, and we are committed to upholding the very highest standards within our own operations.
“This independent audit and accreditation confirm that we are a safe company to use.”
Axil partners with taxi manufacturer to reduce waste
A partnership between Axil Integrated Services and the engineering company behind the London Black Taxi has led to a 40% reduction in waste, the companies say.
London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) partnered with Axil to “transform its waste management and recycling processes”.
In an update yesterday, the companies say there has been a 44% reduction in general waste and 175 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill in just nine months.
This comes after Axil visited the site and conducted a “comprehensive waste review of the site”, which included advice on waste segregation, commodity rebates, on-site equipment, and improved management of hazardous waste.
Craig Lea, head of maintenance, group facilities at LEVC, comments: “Partnering with Axil Integrated Services has helped us make significant improvements, with over 90% of waste now diverted from landfill and an overall increase in recycling across our site. We plan to continue working closely with Axil to ensure the best levels of sustainability and efficiency in our waste management processes.”
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