Portsmouth bin lorries to use vegetable oil as greener fuel alternative
HVO is a sustainable renewable substitute for diesel
Portsmouth's bin lorries will be using a cleaner, greener fuel created from vegetable oil in order to comply with the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) that is due to start in the city on 29th November.
The fuel, called Green D+ HVO, is a sustainable renewable substitute for diesel.
It's also entirely made from materials such as used cooking oils and other waste oils and it doesn't contain any virgin crop.
Councillor Dave Ashmore said: "I welcome this move that will benefit the whole city by offering a greener way of collecting waste.
"As a council, we declared a climate emergency in 2019 and set the goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, and that means every part of the council needs to play their part."
Through using Green D+ HVO fuel, greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to pollution and smog are vastly reduced when compared to regular diesel.
That will help to improve the air quality in the city, and possibly contribute to the city achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
Councillor Kimberly Barrett added: "Air pollution is the biggest environmental killer in the UK, so it’s vital for us to take steps to make the air we breathe cleaner for everyone.
"Eleven HGV’s using the new fuel produce the same CO2 as one HGV using regular diesel, and that’s the change we need to see locally."
The green initiative will be brought to life by Portsmouth Council and Biffa.
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