In partnership with Veolia, Kingston Council is replacing some of its diesel Refuse Collection Vehicles (RVCs) with 27 electric collection vehicles from Dennis Eagle. Introduced from September, the new electric models contribute to Kingston Council’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2030.
Unlike the council’s existing RCVs, the new electric vehicles will be dedicated to single material collection rather than food waste and mixed recycling at the same time. This will support the expansion of Kingston’s food waste service and means fewer trips to the tip, reducing overall energy usage. Separate vehicles for different materials will also minimise contamination, something the council hopes will improve the quality of recycling and bolster its recycling rate.
Scott Edgell, general manager for Veolia South London, said: "We’re excited to see our partnership with Kingston Council result in a better service for residents, along with reduced air and noise pollution thanks to the introduction of our new electric fleet of recycling and waste collection vehicles. By constantly innovating our resources and services we can drive ecological transformation across the borough and support our partner on their net zero carbon journey.”
Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, Kingston Council’s portfolio holder for assets, commissioning and waste, said: “This is a huge milestone for climate action in Kingston. We are committed to finding sustainable solutions to tackle climate change and introducing a fully electric waste collection fleet demonstrates that. We are proud to be one of the first authorities nationally to make such a move. By introducing an electric waste fleet, we’ll help improve the borough's air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly, bringing us closer to achieving net zero by 2030.”
The remaining diesel vehicles in the fleet will gradually be replaced with electric models to provide residents with a quieter, zero-emissions waste collection service. Veolia has also started operating eRCV fleets for other councils including Westminster.