Evaluation of In-Use Emissions from Refuse Trucks

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the in-use emissions from heavy-duty diesel refuse trucks during their different modes of operation. The paper presents a collection of field emissions data from a sample of three side-loader refuse trucks in El Paso, Texas. The gaseous (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and total hydrocarbons) and particulate matter emissions rates were measured by means of two portable emissions measurement systems. The collected emissions data were divided into four distinct operation modes: city driving, highway driving, trash collection, and landfill activities. Emissions data were analyzed and operational and emissions characteristics of each mode were investigated. The trash collection and highway driving were found to produce the highest amount of pollutants for a side-loader refuse truck. It was also observed that while most of the highway driving occurred outside the boundary of the residential areas, almost all the trash collection activities occurred in residential areas. An in-depth analysis on trash collection mode was performed to investigate further the emissions characteristics of trash collection modes. The results of these studies will be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using landfill gas generated at landfills as a liquid natural gas fuel source for refuse trucks.