Biffa (Rother District Council’s contractor for waste and recycling) have been asked by the Local Authorities in the Joint Waste Contract - Rother, Hastings and Wealden - to address how they will reduce the production of carbon in delivering their service. Cabinet portfolio holder for waste and recycling Cllr Sue Prochak was invited to Biffa’s depot at Bulverhythe to see a refuse truck converted from diesel to electric.
Cllr Prochak said, ‘I was absolutely delighted to be able to see this electric vehicle which is being trialled in Rother. I know in Nottingham for example, their waste fleet is entirely electric. It gives hope that this would be possible in Rother and our neighbouring authorities.’
The electric truck had already done a trial round of domestic waste collection in Bexhill. It was a round of 37 kilometres and collected 17 tonnes of waste with 1200 lifts. The truck left the depot fully charged and at the end of the round had 22% left. The operatives gave the vehicle the thumbs up. The challenge on top of the conversion cost is providing the infrastructure for charging each of the 50 vehicle’s two batteries overnight.
Cllr Prochak commented further, ‘One thing I have learnt from our ambition to make Rother carbon neutral by 2030 is that we must start right away, even if the technology is not yet up to speed. We are in an emergency.’
To read more about what Rother District Council are doing to combat climate change under the Rother Alliance administration, visit https://www.rother.gov.uk/strategies-policies-and-plans/environment-strategy/