Federal Way welcomes quieter, cleaner garbage trucks

Loud and odorous garbage trucks will now be a thing of the past in Federal Way, thanks to a partnership between the city and Waste Management.

Loud and odorous garbage trucks will now be a thing of the past in Federal Way, thanks to a partnership between the city and Waste Management.

On May 2, the two agencies held a ceremony to welcome the addition of 22 new “clean air” trucks to the fleet that services Federal Way.

According to the city, these clean air trucks run on compressed natural gas, which gives them a smaller carbon footprint. From the city’s perspective, the trucks are a win because they emit nearly zero air particulates and have 23 percent fewer greenhouse emissions. Along with this, the engine design needed to run the natural gas makes the trucks quieter than the typical diesel-powered trucks.

Mayor Skip Priest said he looks forward to having these new trucks operating in the city.

“This initiative with Waste Management is really all about cleaner air and quieter streets,” Priest said. “It is another opportunity to improve the quality of life for Federal Way citizens, and an important step forward for this community’s sustainable future.”

The director of Public Services for Waste Management, Mary Evans, said her company was happy to help invest in a cleaner Federal Way.

“Waste Management understands that waste reduction and clean air are both critically important to the City of Federal Way,” she said. “This is another Waste Management investment to help our community partners achieve their aggressive sustainability goals.”