The telehandler was installed at the company’s integrated waste management facility (IWMF) in Southwark.
It will be used to load incoming recyclable waste into bag splitters in the material recovery facility (MRF), which separates recyclable materials so they can be sent for reprocessing.
Veolia said that switching to electric mobile plant vehicles would help the company move towards ‘ecological transformation’ and said the new installation also supports Southwark Council’s climate action plan.
The company said using electric power for the MRF 360 telehandler would create a 65% saving in CO2 emissions per year compared to a diesel-powered model.
It also said that the electric machines had lower maintenance requirements than diesel alternatives, so the equipment is expected to have a longer lifespan of 20,000 hours – or five years at Southwark’s IMWF.
Matthew Crane, regional manager at Veolia Southwark, said: ‘Here at Veolia Southwark we are very proud to welcome this new electric 360 telehandler to our site. This is a company first that will reduce our carbon emissions and improve sustainability as well as helping us on our journey to ecological transformation.’
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