Business & Tech

Waste Trucks will Smell Better as New CNG Station Opens

Waste Management opened a new compressed natural gas filling station in Cranston recently along with 48 new trucks that will serve the area.

Some of the trash and recycling trucks that roll through the city every week will leave behind slightly fresher air thanks to new compressed natural gas infrastructure that opened recently at 1688 Pontiac Ave. in Cranston.

Waste Management cut the ribbon to its new natural gas filling station on Wednesday and unveiled some of the 48 new natural gas trucks that will serve Cranston and other cities and towns across Rhode Island.

The $2.8 million fueling facility features 80 slow-fill bays and one fast-fill pump. It will keep Waste Management's fleet of CNG trucks on the road.

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“Waste Management is embracing clean fuel technology as part of our commitment to achieving a zero emissions future,” said Chris DeSantis, Area Vice President - New England and New York, Waste Management. “We are committed to transitioning our diesel fleet to CNG, with 80 percent of our new trucks being CNG fueled. The roll-out of natural gas-powered trucks in Rhode Island and the opening of our first CNG fueling facility in New England are the latest steps forward in this initiative.”

A CNG-powered truck releases about 90 percent less particulate emissions than diesel trucks. Each CNG truck relieves the company of buying 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year and with natural gas prices near record lows and diesel close or at $4 per gallon, it makes financial as well as environmental sense for the company to make the switch.

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According to a release, In addition to expanding the use of natural gas-fueled vehicles, Waste Management is working to make its routes and fleets more efficient, resulting in fewer miles driven and fewer emissions. The company has implemented route optimization software that will reduce driving time by several million hours each year. And all truck engines are programmed to shut down automatically after idling for five minutes to save fuel and further reduce emissions.


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