In a groundbreaking move for sustainable waste management, COR Disposal and Recycling, in collaboration with Portland General Electric (PGE), recently unveiled Oregon’s inaugural electric garbage truck for East Portland.
You can hear a great radio interview on OPB here:
Hear the story of COR’s new electric truck featured on OPB radio
You can also see a great video put together by our friends at Portland General Electric (PGE) for the exciting launch event in downtown Portland that featured hundreds of sustainability leaders, elected representatives, and three speakers: COR CEO Alando Simpson, Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio, and PGE’s Vice President of Public Affairs Nik Blosser:
Alando Simpson, CEO of COR Disposal and Recycling, emphasized the significance of this electric truck in the industry, stating:
“They’re around all hours of the day and all hours of the night… They go through all different parts of our community, whether residential areas, commercial areas, industrial areas.”
Simpson expressed the company’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing air quality in local neighborhoods and highlighted the lack of resources and investment in specific communities for decarbonization:
“We’re doing our due diligence to make sure that we’re not contaminating the environment any more, especially since most of our work takes place in East Portland and in a lot of those communities where there are climate challenges.”
Simpson also underlined the importance of partnerships with organizations like PGE and Columbia Willamette Clean Cities in realizing this sustainable initiative:
“This milestone for COR will create green jobs for our community, while linking together social, economic and environmental justice in ways our economy has never witnessed.”
At the event in North Park Blocks in Portland, Oregon, which was heavily attended by leading sustainability companies and thought-leaders, the fully electric garbage truck completed its first pickup garbage pickup at the event in downtown Portland.
Transportation contributes over a third of Oregon’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Nik Blosser, PGE’s Vice President of Public Affairs, stressed the importance of supporting industry leaders like COR in electrifying their vehicles, stating:
“We’re proud to work together with customers and community members to demonstrate what’s possible in diverse industries in building an economy increasingly powered by electricity from renewable resources.”
The acquisition of the electric truck was made possible with support from DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program and assistance from PGE’s Fleet Partner program for the installation of necessary charging infrastructure. The zero-emission vehicle boasts a remarkable capability to maintain a two-day charge for residential garbage pickups, equating to around 10 operational hours daily.
The Peterbilt 520 EV, COR’s new electric garbage truck, has already begun hitting the streets of East Portland, an area disproportionately affected by climate change and air quality concerns. In addition to reduced emissions, the truck offers quieter operations and presents opportunities for electric vehicle training for waste management employees.