Eco-friendly fueling site unveiled in Hambden

Waste Management aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Waste Management recently unveiled its newest compressed natural gas fueling site in Hambden Township.

It is the latest step in the company’s efforts to increase sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a news release.

By converting the fleet of collection vehicles at its Chardon Hauling site, 9954 Old State Road, to run on CNG rather than diesel fuel, WM will save 288,000 gallons diesel fuel and 504 metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next year. That’s the equivalent of a 15 percent emissions reduction on each collection truck at the facility.

“We’re excited to find more ways to ‘Think Green, Think Clean’ by switching our trucks from diesel to much cleaner CNG,” said Senior District Manager Chris Semrock. “We have a personal interest in helping make our communities better places to work and live. This new CNG facility is yet another way we’re committed to greening our fleet, one truck at a time.”

A total of 7,128 WM natural gas trucks have been put into operation, making it the largest heavy-duty natural gas fleet in North America, the release said.

The collection trucks running on CNG emit nearly zero particulate emissions, are quieter and easier to maintain. In addition, WM fuels 25 percent of its natural gas fleet with renewable natural gas produced from landfill biogas. It currently has 114 operational CNG sites and operates 25 public CNG fueling stations.

The new facility can fuel 56 CNG collection trucks overnight, with the ability to expand to 72. It has 20 CNG vehicles on site. The gas is supplied by Dominion East Ohio and compressed at the Hambden CNG site.

More than 70 people work at Chardon Hauling, which provides residential, commercial, industrial Roll-off and BAGSTER services to Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. The new facility already has been used by more than 50 first-responders from multiple fire departments who attended training there in September.

“Waste Management and Chardon Hauling have been an important part of our community services for many years,” said Hambden Fire Chief and Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand. “We appreciated the chance to train our firefighters in the new Chardon CNG facility.”

WM held an open house at the CNG facility Oct. 18. The Houston-based company has been serving the area since 1985.

COURTESY OF WASTE MANAGEMENT Waste Management recently showed off a new compressed natural gas facility opened in Hambden Township.