Emsland district waste management company switches to electric trucks for the transportation of residual waste
Meppen. The Emsland district waste management company (AWB) completed a pioneering changeover on January 1, 2025: The transportation of residual waste is now completely CO2-neutral by road. Until 2024, residual waste from municipal collections in the northern and central district was transported to the waste incineration plant in Salzbergen by rail container. When the contract expires, the AWB will take the opportunity to switch to an even more environmentally friendly and flexible solution.
Since the beginning of the year, the company Augustin Entsorgung from Meppen has been transporting around 28,000 tons of residual waste per year from the central landfill sites in Dörpen and Wesuwe to the Salzbergen thermal waste treatment plant using three newly purchased all-electric tractor units including so-called walking floor trailers. The e-trucks carry out five transports per day, which corresponds to around 106 transports per month and 1272 transports per year.
The vehicles are refueled with green electricity at three charging stations at different locations. They achieve a range of around 300 to a maximum of 380 km. A charging cycle takes just 2 to 3 hours.
District Administrator Marc-André Burgdorf underlines the need and intention for the district of Emsland to become increasingly climate-friendly and emphasizes: “We are pleased to have found a partner from the region in Augustin with whom we can take the right path to climate-friendliness.”
“This innovative solution enables flexible and environmentally friendly waste logistics. The trucks are quieter and do not emit any pollutants. We are delighted to be making a contribution to climate protection with our new trucks,” explain Rolf and Lukas Augustin.
The AWB is thus continuing its commitment to sustainable waste management. A hydrogen-powered vehicle was already purchased in 2023 for the collection of bulky goods in Lingen and Emsbüren. The new e-truck fleet complements these efforts and sets new standards in the region for environmentally friendly and efficient waste logistics. According to the waste management concept for the period 2024 to 2028, the proportion of emission-free vehicles in waste management is to be continuously increased. “The switch to electric trucks for the transportation of residual waste is a significant step in this direction and could serve as a model for other municipalities,” concludes AWB operations manager Heinz Bökers.
