Waste Management plans to build a facility to capture methane from a Kentucky landfill and use the natural gas to fuel its trucks.
The company will soon apply for an air permit from the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District for the new facility, which will be located at the Outer Loop Landfill in Louisville, the Courier-Journal reports.
A natural gas pipeline runs through the property and Waste Management already uses some of the landfill methane that has been converted to natural gas to power its local fleet of 80 trucks. The company switched its 80-truck fleet from diesel to natural gas five years ago.
Most of the Outer Loop Landfill methane gas, which is produced as waste decomposes, is flared to reduce emissions and odors.
Waste Management told WDRB that it is investing $30 million in new technology that will make enough natural gas to power 800 Waste Management trucks.
Waste Management’s plan comes as more companies and municipalities are looking for ways to better manage their methane, and reap financial benefits from selling this gas or using it to fuel local fleets, WasteDive reports.
Last year the EPA finalized rules that require new and existing landfills to capture and control methane gas emissions at levels that are one-third lower than earlier requirements.
Converting diesel fleets to natural gas also reduces fuel and operational costs.
UK retail chain Waitrose, for example, last month introduced a fleet of biomethane trucks with a range of up to 500 miles. Each of the new trucks cost 50 percent more than one that runs on diesel, but will repay the extra costs in two to three years with fuel savings of $18,705 to $24,940 a year, depending on mileage.
These vehicles are likely to operate for at least five more years, generating overall lifetime savings of $93,530 to $124,726, compared with a diesel equivalent. Additionally, each truck will save more than 100 metric tons of CO2 a year, compared to diesel.