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Reducing the environmental impact of garbage is anything but a new idea, but what often seems overlooked are the actual vehicles doing the dirty-work of picking up our trash. Volvo's trying to do something about that with hybrid garbage trucks that are currently undergoing testing in Sweden. If testing goes well, Volvo plans to begin producing the hybrid trucks in 2009.

Volvo's hybrid technology consists of a 320 horsepower diesel engine which shuts down at rest combined with an electric motor that powers the truck at speeds up to 12 miles per hour. Regenerative braking is used as a means to recapture energy to recharge the lithium ion batteries. Besides being much quieter in early morning trash pickup duties, the total gas savings and C0₂ emissions are expected to drop 20-30 percent.

Also of note is Volvo's research into DME for fuel in an attempt to lower emissions and reduce diesel soot. DME is produced by creating a syngas which is converted to a liquid fuel. This type of fuel is already in use as a propellant gas in aerosol spray cans. See both press releases after the break.

There are all sorts of environmental problems when it comes to trash. How do we deal with all of the garbage that is thrown out? A great deal of it ends up piled up in landfills while a small portion ends up being recycled. Consider, too, the ramifications of needing to pick all that trash up. The trucks hauling all that garbage usually run on diesel fuel, which opens up the possibility of using biofuels. Allied Waste has decided to do just that by using a 20 percent biodiesel blend in their fleet of trucks. Allied Waste in San Mateo, California will use locally-sourced biodiesel for the blend which will be used in 225 trucks. This will reduce their local carbon footprint by at least 3.3 million pounds each year. I wonder if Allied Waste could get a contract to rid restaurants of their used oil? That could certainly make a dent in their biofuel purchasing requirements!

[Source: Idaho Statesman]