Council unveils bin lorries fuelled by vegetable oil

A Lancashire council has become the latest to introduce bin lorries that are fuelled by vegetable oil.

Hyndburn Council has added five new waste collection vehicles, which run on a hydro-treated version of the oil.

The lorries are being rolled out nationwide and experts believe they produce 90% less carbon dioxide than diesel.

Councillor Stewart Eaves, who is charge of environmental services at the council, said: “This helps us reduce our carbon footprint and supports our broader environmental goals.”

The council hopes to achieve net zero emissions – where greenhouse gas production is equal or less than its removal - by 2030.

Two existing bin lorries have also been rebranded to promote the council’s free bulky waste collection, which allows residents to dispose a maximum of six bulky items per month.

Eligible items include bed bases, mattresses, sofas, chairs, carpets, dining tables and white goods.

Bikes, prams, TVs and other electrical, timber and metal items can also be collected by the free service, which operates five days a week.

The service collected about 30,000 items in 2023.

Mr Eaves said: “We encourage everyone to take advantage of this service and join us in our efforts to create a cleaner, greener Hyndburn.”

The council has also launched its new refuse collection calendar, which will be distributed to all 37,000 households across the borough.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas to [email protected] and via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.