Scotland's first electric bin lorry is taking to the streets of North Lanarkshire, helping to reduce air pollution with zero emissions.

The lorry will collect an average of 28 tonnes of waste each day and the daily diesel cost to operate a traditional vehicle is around £100, the electricity to charge the new lorry is £12.

The vehicle produces zero emissions which will contribute to the council's plan to tackle air pollution in its communities and move towards net zero emissions by 2030.

"Traditional bin lorries have a low mileage but a high fuel consumption, and they operate every day in all our towns and villages," said John Stewart, the council's Fleet Resource Manager.


"So this new all-electric lorry is an exciting development for North Lanarkshire, as it's significantly cheaper to operate and is much more environmentally friendly.

"The council is already increasing the number of electric vehicles in our fleet, with 41 cars and vans now operating across our services and another 20 vehicles ordered. As well increasing the number of charging points at council depots and offices, through the PACE project we are increasing the number of charging points in local communities. This means more residents have the opportunity to 'go electric' and lower their carbon emissions.

"Our use of electric vehicles, along with partnership working with bus operators, tackling vehicle idling and a range of traffic measures are all important elements of our strategy to reduce air pollution across North Lanarkshire."

The new lorry has been supplied by Electra Commercial Vehicles Limited.