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NPDC’s EV ute cleaning waste and cutting emissions

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PUBLISHED: 26 SEP 2023
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The dirty work of dealing with our waste is now bit cleaner thanks the addition of a new ute to NPDC’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet.​

The EV ute replaces a 7-year-old diesel vehicle used by the Zero Waste team and brings us closer to the target of 45 per cent of our vehicles being electric by 2030.

“The new vehicle will be doing the hard work in our zero waste efforts from travelling between our four rural transfer stations from Tongaporutu to Ōkato and waste facilities at Colson Road to checking kerbside collection bins,” said NPDC Resource Recovery Manager Kimberley Hope.

An EV used in Aotearoa would emit about 60% fewer emissions over its full life cycle than fossil fuel powered vehicles, even when considering raw material extraction, battery manufacture, vehicle manufacture and shipping.

“We’ll also be taking it to schools and public events to promote recycling and other ways to cut waste so we can reach our goal of Zero Waste to landfill by 2040,” says Kimberley.

“But just as importantly, it contributes to our Sustainable Lifestyle Capital by reducing air pollution so that the air we breathe is healthier and it contributes to the national goal of halving our greenhouse gas emissions from 2018 levels by 2030 and being carbon neutral by 2050.”​

Transport produces more than a fifth of our district’s greenhouse gas emissions compared with about 17 per cent of our national emissions and air pollution contributes to the early deaths of about 3,300 Kiwis each year. ​

Find out what else we’re doing to cut emissions in our recently adopted District-wide Emissions Reduction Plan.​

​

Fast facts:​

  • NPDC has about 120 vehicles, including 17 electric and hybrid vehicles.​
  • Our goal to make NPDC carbon neutral by 2050 includes covering 10 per cent of our urban area in trees through Planting our Place.
  • Emissions from our electricity and gas use have been falling by about 4 per cent a year from 7,000 tonnes in to just over 4,000 tonnes last year. 

 

Caption: NPDC Resource Recovery staff take the new EV ute to inspect the Colson Road landfill.​

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Page last updated: 02:03pm Tue 03 October 2023

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