The city of Austin began piloting an electric garbage collection vehicle on June 21 as part of its goal to reach zero waste and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
This move is part of the Austin Resource Recovery department’s long-term vision of fleet electrification, as 12 light-duty vehicles in the fleet, such as pickup trucks and passenger cars, were replaced with electric models, ARR spokesperson Allison Strupeck said in an email.
City vehicles made up 83% of the 44,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide that were released in 2022, according to a 2023 city report…