Waste Management added a 1,000th natural gas truck to its fleet, which it says makes it the largest owner and operator of clean-running, heavy-duty refuse trucks in North America.


At a ceremony at its Carson, Calif., property, the company commemorated the delivery of its 1,000th natural gas vehicle with Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster starting up the new recycling truck that will serve his city's residents.

"This is a special milestone in our journey to develop the cleanest fleet of heavy duty trucks in our industry," said Duane Woods, senior vice president at Waste Management.

The trucks Waste Management runs out of its Carson service yard, as well as a third of its California clean fleet, are powered by liquefied natural gas derived from the decomposition of organic waste in its Altamont Landfill in Livermore, Calif. Since November 2009, the landfill has been generating as much as 13,000 gallons of LNG per day.

In just one year, Waste Management's 1,000 natural gas trucks will displace 8 million gallons of petroleum and eliminate 45,100 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Waste Management also has CNG and LNG fueling stations at 17 of its facilities throughout North America with more under development. Woods added that the company hopes to develop a new landfill-gas-to-LNG facility at its Simi Valley, Calif., landfill.