Township to Use Quieter, Eco-Friendly Trash Trucks

The sound of banging garbage trucks early in the morning may have quieted down in recent weeks following the township's decision to employ "greener" vehicles.

West Orange replaced their diesel-powered vehicles for quieter and eco-friendlier natural gas trucks, officials announced earlier this month.

West Orange was one of the first municipalities chosen by Suburban Disposal, Inc., a provider of services in the solid waste industry, to try out the new vehicles.

"The vehicles that currently operate in the township consume more fuel than other municipalities, partly because of the large area of West Orange," said Kerry Roselle, owner of Roselle Suburban Disposal.  "With these savings, Suburban Disposal can expand our goal to reach a 100 percent fleet, which reduces the costs of garbage collection in town."

Natural gas trucks emit 23 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than diesel vehicles, township officials said. They added that removing one diesel truck from the streets equates to taking 325 cars off the road per year.

"Suburban Disposal has taken a leading role in the industry to preserve the environment and perform disposal services in the most efficient and economical way," Mayor Robert D. Parisi said in a statement. "Our township has always been recognized for presenting cutting-edge programs that help protect our residents and the environment. This is another great step toward that goal, while simultaneously reducing the cost of garbage disposal."