SEATTLE – CleanScapes, Inc. and Waste Management of Seattle have received deliveries of 144 new state-of-the-art compressed natural gas (CNG) refuse trucks from McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, according to Environmental Protection.

The Seattle-based CNG refuse truck fleets are part of a statewide initiative to cut vehicle emissions in advance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2010 emission standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).

The trucks offer lower fuel costs and reduced noise pollution, and are six times cleaner than diesel-powered trucks, according to EP.

"Seattle is a national leader in greenhouse gas emissions reduction and clean fuel technology," said Chris Martin, president of CleanScapes, reported EP. "When bidding on the Seattle Public Utilities contract, we felt it would be advantageous to propose a CNG fleet that would provide significant environmental benefits to the city by reducing emissions."

CleanScapes' 40 new McNeilus CNG-powered refuse trucks were placed into service in April and have been providing clean and efficient refuse collection to more than 64,000 residential and business customers in central and northeast Seattle, according to EP.

The company has grant specialists available to help customers learn more about the benefits of CNG and will assist customers to navigate the process of identifying and securing funding for CNG fleet conversion.