Recology nearly halves its fleet emissions

San Francisco-based waste and recycling firm Recology says it has achieved a goal it set four years ago to power its fleet with 90 percent renewable or alternative energy sources.

“We made a commitment in 2019 to significantly reduce our use of conventional fossil fuels,” Recology CEO Sal Coniglio says. “In hitting this mark, we achieved one of the most ambitious fleet goals in our industry. At the time, renewable fuels were unavailable in many areas where we provide service, including the Pacific Northwest, so we knew it would be tough. Through concerted efforts, we achieved the goal and, in doing so, we helped broaden the availability of cleaner fuels on the West Coast.”

Recology operates some electric vehicles, including what it says are the first electric Class 8 rear-load collection trucks deployed in the United States. By shifting to cleaner fuels, optimizing collection routes, and introducing electric trucks, Recology says it reduced its fleet emissions by 44 percent in three years (from 2019 to 2022).

Most Recology collection and transfer trucks, however, now operate on renewable diesel or renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel. Both fuels are lower-carbon replacements for conventional diesel and conventional natural gas, according to Recology.

Recology says its transition away from conventional fossil fuels began in the early 1990s, when the company started using compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) in its fleet.

“Demanding and utilizing cleaner fuels is just one of the ways Recology is demonstrating our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and helping our cities achieve their climate goals,” Coniglio says. “We are the industry leader in resource recovery systems, including recycling and curbside composting collection programs.”

Recology says it intends to continue switching more trucks to renewable and alternative fuels, and says it also continues testing zero-emission trucks and working closely with vehicle manufacturers to further enhance fleet sustainability.

“We are proud of this milestone achievement and now want to go further,” Coniglio says. “New legislation is driving industries toward zero-emissions vehicles, and we intend to be one of the first to eliminate internal combustion engines from our fleet. Big impacts require big changes, and we look forward to rising to the challenge.”

Recology is a 100 percent-employee-owned resource recovery company providing materials collection, processing and outreach and education to customers in California, Oregon and Washington. The company has more than 3,800 employees and serves 136 communities.