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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Seattle Converts Garbage Trucks To Cut Pollution
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
8/24/2005 10:00:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Seattle Converts Garbage Trucks To Cut Pollution
Switch to cleaner-burning biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur fuels
means cleaner
air in neighborhoods
SEATTLE- Mayor Greg Nickels announced today that the city’s garbage
and recycling trucks are upgrading their exhaust systems and converting to
biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur fuel in an on-going effort to reach his climate
protection goals and improve air quality.
“Most people don’t associate the word “clean” with
the garbage trucks that rumble through their neighborhoods every day,” Nickels
said. “But these changes will cut up to 90 percent of the exhaust pipe
pollution and make a difference in keeping our air clean.”
Seattle’s solid waste fleet, contracted through Rabanco and Waste Management,
totals 180 recycling and garbage trucks. During the next six months these diesel
trucks will be retrofitted with state-of-the-art oxidation catalysts (DOC)
to reduce toxic tailpipe emissions.
In addition, half the fleet will begin using B20 -- a blend of 80% ultra-low
sulfur diesel and 20% biodiesel. The biodiesel, funded by Seattle City Light
as part of its program to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions, is developed
from vegetable oils and produces less carbon dioxide (the major global warming
pollutant) than petroleum-based diesel fuel.
The new exhaust equipment reduces harmful emissions that impact public health.
When combined with ultra-low sulfur diesel, emissions of fine particulates
and toxic air pollutants are reduced by as much as 90%.
“Exhaust from diesel trucks and other equipment is the leading source
of toxic air pollution in our region, accounting for nearly 80 percent of cancer-causing
emissions to our outside air,” said Dennis McLerran, Executive Director
for the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. “We call it the ‘gold standard’ for
diesel fleets when they use ultra-low sulfur, biodiesel fuel and retrofit trucks
with emissions control devices.” The Clean Air Agency is supporting the
fleet modification with grant funding and technical expertise.
Switching Seattle’s solid waste fleet to biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur
fuel is the latest in a series of steps the city has taken to curb global warming
and improve air quality, following similar modifications to the city’s
own trucks and cars.
At the U.S Conference of Mayors in June, Mayor Nickels’ Climate Protection
Agreement gained unanimous approval and 174 mayors from across the country
pledged to strive to meet or beat Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas
emission in their own cities.
Mayor Nickels also appointed a Green Ribbon Commission to develop a Seattle
Climate Action Plan for meeting the target here in Seattle; its report is due
in December. Other climate protection actions the city is taking include reducing
the use of paper by 30%, including climate protection benefits as a criterion
in Neighborhood Matching Fund grant decisions, and increasing the use of climate-friendly
materials in city projects.
Steps citizens can take for climate protection and to improve air quality:
- Leave your car at home - walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation.
- Plant a tree. Trees store carbon and provide much-needed shade in the
summer.
- Sign up for one of City Light's Green Power programs at http://www.seattle.gov/light/green/greenpower or call 684-3000.
- If you must buy a car, look for the one with the best fuel economy
in its class
To learn more about Seattle’s Climate Action Plan, visit www.seattle.gov/environment
For more information, visit the mayor’s web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor.
Get the mayor's inside view on initiatives to promote transportation, public
safety, economic opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for The
Nickels Newsletter at www.seattle.gov/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm.
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Office of the Mayor
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