Recology has begun testing North America’s first hydrogen-powered garbage truck, built through a partnership between garbage truck body manufacturer New Way Trucks and fuel cell manufacturer and technology developer Hyzon.

Recology is the first waste and recycling company in the U.S. to test this hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric garbage truck, and San Francisco will be the first city in North America to test it on urban streets.

Expansion of an already “green” fleet

Recology has long placed a premium on fleet sustainability, debuting the first Class 8 electric rear loader in the U.S. on the streets of Seattle in 2019. Since then, Recology has tested electric collection vehicles across its operations and prioritized the use of renewable or alternative fuels in its fleet—reducing the company’s emissions from fuel use by more than 77 percent since 2018.

Recology’s test of North America’s first hydrogen-powered garbage trucks in San Francisco is in line with efforts to bring similar technology to the ferries that cross San Francisco Bay daily.

“To address climate change and air pollution at a regional and national level, we must address the vehicles we rely on every day to provide essential services to our communities. Recology has a long history of working with the City to protect our environment by pioneering how we reduce waste. Now, I’m excited to see how Recology will also help us meet our ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through cleaner vehicles,” said Tyrone Jue, Director of the San Francisco Department of Environmental Quality.

Given the number of garbage trucks on U.S. streets every day, switching to zero-emission vehicles is a critical part of the U.S. strategy to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Considering there are more than 140,000 garbage trucks in operation in the market today, garbage collection represents an ideal application to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen fuel cell technology across the environmental services industry,” said Eric Evans, Chief Product Officer at New Way.

Where will the hydrogen collection trucks go next?

Recology executives got a first look at the new technology late last year, and New Way and Hyzon unveiled the hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric garbage truck at WasteExpo 2024. New Way’s experience in garbage collection and Hyzon’s focus on providing zero-emission fuel cell systems to decarbonize demanding industries promise to make electric garbage collection a reality for the North American waste and recycling industry.

“When I saw the incredible progress New Way and Hyzon were making toward a zero-emissions future for our industry, I knew Recology had to bring this technology to San Francisco,” said Salvatore M. Coniglio, CEO of Recology.

Don Ross, New Way’s Director of Sales, said of partnering with Recology to be the first company to test North America’s first hydrogen garbage collection vehicle: “Recology’s commitment to implementing clean energy initiatives makes them the perfect partner to begin these tests. This hydrogen-powered garbage collection vehicle is designed to best meet the needs of garbage haulers advancing alternative, sustainable solutions. And there’s no better place to start these tests than the San Francisco Bay Area with Recology, a company known for its sustainability initiatives.”

The hydrogen-powered garbage truck will be tested on routes in San Francisco for two weeks. After piloting this unique truck in San Francisco, Recology will test it in other Bay Area cities. New Way and Hyzon have planned additional tests throughout California this year, followed by more tests in Canada.

Recology’s test is designed to confirm that zero-emission vehicles have the power and range needed to complete collection routes and haul heavy loads, and the companies are confident the company will meet this challenge.

Hydrogen fuel cells vs. diesel vs. CNG

Recology’s trials with New Way and Hyzon build on the success of Hyzon’s electric refuse truck trials in Australia, which demonstrated that hydrogen fuel cell technology is a viable replacement for traditional heavy-duty diesel engines. All three companies aim to demonstrate that New Way-Hyzon’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered refuse truck overcomes some of the inherent challenges of other zero-emission technologies, such as range issues, operating temperature variability and payload limitations.

“Our New Way Sidewinder automated side loader, combined with the constant and regenerative performance of Hyzon’s hydrogen fuel cell propulsion, provides a lighter refuse vehicle with similar range and performance to diesel and CNG trucks,” said Evans.

To further prove that hydrogen fuel cells are a more sustainable option in waste management, Hyzon has launched its Class 8 semi-trailer test program with 200 kW FCEV, which Recology also plans to test.

Hyzon’s high-performance hydrogen fuel cell systems are proven to deliver consistent power over a range of at least 200 kilometers, including at least 1,200 cart hauls and trips to transfer stations.