MOGILEV, 12 March (BelTA) – A refuse collection vehicle powered by natural gas was presented at premises of the Mogilevtransmash enterprise of OAO MAZ, the managing company of the holding company BelavtoMAZ, on 12 March, BelTA has learned.
Belarusian Housing and Utilities Minister Aleksandr Terekhov and potential buyers of municipal vehicles from various parts of the country were made familiar with technical parameters of the new product.
The minister said: “The new vehicle is fully compliant with the requirements the head of state wants the utilities industry to meet. The use of compressed gas will reduce fuel-related operating costs. The vehicle’s size and maneuverability will help smartly build the logistics of removal of solid municipal waste from backyards.”
The first commercial gas-powered garbage truck has been assembled by Mogilevtransmash. It is equipped with two gas bottles made of composite materials and able to store 420 liters of gas. The back-loaded garbage truck can carry over 10m3 of garbage. The vehicle is fitted with mud chambers to keep liquid waste from leaking around the vehicle. The new truck is fitted with a monitor and a rearview camera for ease of use.
The low environmental footprint is a major peculiarity of the new garbage truck. Apart from that, the noise the vehicle generates is lower than usual and will be less discomforting for people. One vehicle was handed over to a Mogilev enterprise on 12 March. The truck will be trialed in the city for several months in real conditions. “We have all reasons to believe that the vehicle will pass the trial with flying colors and the new refuse collection vehicles will enter into service of utility enterprises all over the country soon,” Aleksandr Terekhov noted.
Mogilevtransmash representatives noted the garbage truck had passed all the safety and ecology tests. The vehicle has been certified for compliance with Customs Union regulations. The company intends to sell the trucks not only in Belarus but in other CIS states in the future.