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Rubbish-powered lorry delivers for Sainsbury's

A lorry running on gas produced by rotting rubbish is delivering food for a supermarket.

The diesel and bio-methane vehicle made by Mercedes is delivering produce from Sainsbury's Bristol depot to its Dartmouth branch.

Bio-methane, an alternative vehicle fuel which is captured from landfill sites before being cleaned and compressed, contributes to the lorries reduced carbon emissions.

According to the company, the consequence of using a bio-methane and diesel engine is that during the lorry's 310 miles of daily travel, it emits 60 per cent less carbon emissions.

The Mercedes-Benz Axor truck has been converted to handle the two fuels using Clean Air Power Genesis conversion system.

Alison Austin, environmental affairs manager, Sainsbury’s, says: "This is a real first for how food is delivered in the UK, although the technology used is already used in Lille, France where city buses and refuse lorries run on bio-methane.

"Our aim is to now roll this out to our entire fleet so that we can make this technology work for all food deliveries across the UK, it makes complete environmental sense, and given escalating fuel costs, economic sense too."

Veolia Environmental Services recently started using a bio-methane powered vehicle in its rubbish collection service.

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