PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 12, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- For years, Portland Public Schools has worked to go light on landfills by recycling and reusing as much as possible. Now it's partnered with its garbage hauler, Waste Management, to transport its recyclables and trash in a more environmentally friendly way -- in a truck that uses biodiesel.
"Vehicle emissions are the single largest contributor to air pollution in Portland," says Adam Winston, Oregon market area general manager for Waste Management. "Using biodiesel is one way Waste Management can show leadership in reducing vehicle emissions and in protecting public health and our environment."
The push to use biodiesel came from the district's resource conservation specialist, Nancy Bond.
"We believe this is the first time in the nation a hauler has been approached by a school district about using biodiesel," she says. "By partnering with Waste Management, we are taking a significant step toward cleaner air in Portland. We are very excited about the project and its potential."
The agreement calls for the truck that picks up trash and recyclables at PPS sites to run on a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent conventional diesel fuel. The B-20 mix is more expensive than conventional diesel fuel, but offers substantial environmental benefits because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions.
Waste Management of Oregon picks up and disposes of more than 10 million pounds of trash from 113 PPS locations each year at a cost of more than $460,000.
The partnership is a pilot project. If results are positive, the company will expand the use of B-20 to other vehicles in the fleet.
"We look forward to learning more about how this vehicle will compare to the conventional trucks in our fleet," Winston says. "We hope to take a giant leap forward in decreasing emissions and reducing our dependency on foreign oil. If the program works, it will be a win-win situation."
Biodiesel is a clean-burning renewable alternative to diesel fuel that can be made from various domestically produced feedstocks such as soybean oil or other natural fats and oils.
According to the National Biodiesel Board, about 300 major fleets in the U.S. use biodiesel, including all branches of the military, the National Park Service, public utility companies, school districts and municipalities. However, it is not yet in wide use commercially.
Winston expects his Houston-based company, the largest waste hauler in the nation, will watch the Portland project closely.
About Portland Public Schools: Founded in 1851, Portland Public Schools serves 47,000 pre-K-12 students in 85 schools. For more information on the district, call 503-916-3304, e-mail us at pubinfo@pps.k12.or.us, or visit www.pps.k12.or.us. Portland Public Schools is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Editors Note
A viewing of the Truck in action will take place on Thursday, September 14th at 9:30 am at Lincoln High School, 1600 SW Salmon Street.
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. For more information, visit www.wm.com.
The Waste Management logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2844