From fuel use and vehicle design to monitoring, maintenance, facility configuration and lifting equipment, the waste management industry has made tremendous strides.
Dr. Jean DellAmore
Waste management entities of all types鈥攏otably private companies and municipalities鈥攕truggle to contain costs and improve margins in a steady but moderately expanding industry. An increasing number are discovering the benefits of going green in terms of vehicle maintenance鈥攁n approach that can benefit not only the environment but the bottom line as well.
For municipalities and fleet operators, the pressure to go green extends well beyond government mandates to also include the communities they serve, who often demand a more eco-centric approach to waste removal. Topping the list for change are obvious choices: reducing fuel costs, using hybrid technologies and converting to some form of natural gas-propelled vehicles. Small improvements in fuel economy translate into large savings. That鈥檚 why many transportation pros have embraced a range of tactics including re-designed vehicle aerodynamics, use of more fuel-efficient tires, the adoption of idle-reduction technologies and even regenerative bolt-on devices that convert breaking energy into power for accelerating in the stop-start world of waste removal.
Collectively, these approaches alone can cut fuel consumption by up to 35 percent. At the same time, some operators have taken energy efficient to the next level by using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) or biodiesel and many have purchased cutting edge emissions-lowering technology to substantially reduce particulate emissions. Others have converted to propane鈥攁nd captured attractive tax credits in the process. Another rising technology now available is a modified approach to the Global Positioning System (GPS), which permits municipalities and operators to reduce unnecessary idling as well as closely monitor road speed and braking patterns.
Emphasis on Maintenance Facilities and Maintenance Equipment
But opportunities to go green and reduce costs in waste management extend well beyond the vehicles to the very structures which house them and the equipment used to service them.听 For example, many maintenance facilities now use low mercury, high-energy efficient recyclable bulbs.听 Others are employing special coatings on windows that allow solar energy into building interiors while simultaneously blocking infrared and ultraviolet components that convey unwanted heat. Another innovative approach being used involves harvesting rainwater, which is then recycled as 鈥済ray water鈥� and used in commercial washers at various maintenance facilities. These innovative approaches also extend to heavy-duty lifting equipment, which have evolved into sustainable and cost-efficient tools for the maintenance shop. Below are the types of lifts that are most common in the industry.
Mobile Column LIfts
Another way green technology has been taken to new heights in both mobile column lifts and in-ground lifting systems is a hydraulic green mobile column lift. The first of its kind in the industry, its columns are made with components that are 98 percent recyclable and the Active Energy Retrieval System (AERS) allows operators to achieve 35 percent more lifting cycles at maximum lifting load. They also use a closed hydraulic system that contains bio-degradable oil and the batteries are 100 percent recyclable.
In-Ground Lifts
Numerous municipal and large waste management maintenance facilities also use in-ground lifts. In-ground lifts have the lifting capacity up to 90,000 lbs. It can uniquely combine high pressure, low-volume hydraulics and only require 3.5 gallons of fluid per scissor. In-ground lifts can ensure sizeable cost savings on construction and installation and can be used in existing workshop pits and even at locations with a high water table.
Telescopic Piston Lifts
A self-contained telescopic piston lift, has the lifting capacity of up to 96,000 lbs., and delivers the best in a traditional lifting approach and then integrates modern materials with the latest engineering for optimal performance, safety and environmental containment.听 Each piston can use less than five gallons of biodegradable hydraulic fluid. Plus, cassettes can be fully self-contained to ensure that hazardous shop fluids do not enter the environment.
Improving the Bottom Line
In sum, from fuel use and vehicle design to monitoring, maintenance, facility configuration and lifting equipment, the waste management industry has made tremendous strides. The progress is substantial and the savings are real. That said, there is plenty left to accomplish to both support the environment and improve the bottom line.
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Dr. Jean DellAmore is president of Stertil-Koni and has been in the heavy-duty lift industry for the last 30 years, the first 12 years with SEFAC and the last 18 years with Stertil-Koni. Jean has several academic degrees including an MBA and MA from George Washington University and a doctorate from UMUC. In his spare time, Jean works as a volunteer Docent for the Library of Congress and teaches a part-time graduate course at UMUC in international business. Jean can be reached at (410) 643-9001.
