Biffa 'Glitterball' electric bin truck starts rounds in Oxfordshire

The South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils have introduced 'Glitterball', the first electric bin truck.

Waste crews operating in the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse region will begin to use an electric-powered bin truck for the first time.

The Glitterball truck will be used in a four week trial in the area to determine whether or not an electric waste vehicle is a feasible option for bin collection in the future. 

The Vale of White Horse District’s Council cabinet member for the environment and climate emergency, Councillor Catherine Webber, said: “The electric waste vehicle will be put through its paces over the next four weeks with a variety of routes to see if it could be a viable option. 

“The information gained from this trial will inform any future plans that the councils make regarding waste collections.”   

This is one of the operations local councils have been considering to reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced and reach their net zero goals.

Cllr Sue Cooper, commented: “Looking forward, residents need a collection service that is reliable and effective. It is also vital that we reduce our carbon emissions and this could be one way to achieve that.”

In January, Biffa announced in a tweet that they were able to reduce emissions by 70% and expect to deliver a further 50% reduction by 2030, as well as unlocking £1.25 billion of investment in the green economy.

The electric-powered Glitterball bin truck is being trialled by the district council’s waste contractor, Biffa, and will be constantly monitored to ensure that it can cope with the daily commute through the towns.

Glitterball’s high-gloss and metallic design was unveiled at graphic supplier EPIC Media Group’s headquarters in Kent last month.

Roger Edwards, Managing Director of Biffa said: “We wanted a vehicle design that would make people stop and look.”