Trash collection and recycling giant Waste Management has opened a $10 million compressed natural gas facility in Lee County to fuel its fleet in a more environmentally friendly manner.
As part of its goal to have a 100% natural gas fleet by 2026, the company has made the Tupelo area its latest spot for its trucks to be refueled on site. At these sites, Waste Management captures landfill gas, processes it, and compresses it into a usable fuel for the garbage trucks you see driving around local neighborhoods and businesses.
According to the company, Waste Management vehicles powered by compressed natural gas emit nearly zero particulate emissions, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and are quieter than diesel trucks. The company further asserted that for every diesel truck replaced with natural gas, Waste Management reduces its use of diesel fuel by an average of 8,000 gallons per year, along with a reduction of 14 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
The Tupelo area compressed natural gas facility will be the site that fuels the 30 Waste Management trucks operating in the area. However, it is not the first of its kind in Mississippi. The company opened a natural gas filling station in Jackson in 2013.
