The state’s first all-electric garbage truck completed its first pickup in downtown Portland this morning, representing a milestone in Oregon’s clean energy transition and an important step for the local waste & recycling collection industry. COR Disposal & Recycling debuted the Peterbilt truck at an event in the North Park Blocks featuring local sustainability leaders and elected representatives, highlighting the truck’s significance to emissions-reduction efforts and the green economy.
“As COR continues to drive innovation in the solid waste industry, it would be impossible to build sustainable communities without great leadership at the City of Portland and tremendous partners like PGE and Columbia Willamette Clean Cities, who made this fully electric truck a reality for the residents of East Portland,” said Alando Simpson, CEO of COR, the only African American-owned certified B Corporation in the waste and recycling industry. “This milestone for COR will create green jobs for our community, while linking together social, economic, and environmental justice in ways our economy has never witnessed.”
COR purchased the truck with support from DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program via Portland General Electric’s Drive Change Fund. Since its inception in 2019, the Drive Change Fund has awarded millions of dollars to local businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits to accelerate transportation electrification in Oregon. PGE also helped with the installation of the necessary charging infrastructure through its Fleet Partner program, which aids businesses and municipalities seeking to electrify their fleets.
According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, more than a third of Oregon’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. “Supporting industry leaders like COR in electrifying their vehicles is a priority for Clean Fuels Program funds,” said Nik Blosser, PGE’s Vice President of Public Affairs. “We’re proud to work together with customers and community members to demonstrate what’s possible in diverse industries in building an economy increasingly powered by electricity from renewable resources.”
The Peterbilt 520 EV garbage truck will complete pickups in East Portland, an area disproportionately affected by climate change and air quality concerns. In addition to reduced emissions, the truck offers additional benefits for the neighborhood, including quieter operations and EV training opportunities for waste management employees.
