A fleet of four lithium-ion battery powered forklifts has been introduced at the Veolia Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility to further support Southwark Council’s ambition of achieving carbon-neutrality.
As an integral part of the recycling infrastructure, the forklifts transport compacted bales of waste from the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) floor to shipping containers that are transported and recycled.
We’ve found the perfect balance between sustainability and operational efficiency.
The vehicles are fitted with a sophisticated sonar mechanism which calculates their reverse trajectory, scans surroundings and automatically reduces the speed when obstacles are detected, making them safer to operate than previously trialled diesel and lead-acid battery models. The older models frequently faced challenges such as overheating, mechanical breakdowns and inflexible battery charging requirements, which made them ill-suited for the dynamic MRF environment.
Lithium-ion batteries offer a comparatively longer lifespan of approximately eight to ten years. When these batteries reach the end of their optimal operational life, they will be repurposed for uses such as energy storage, before they are eventually processed securely at a dedicated battery recycling facility.
Matthew Crane, Regional Manager at Veolia Southwark, says: “Our investment in four lithium-ion clamp trucks marks a significant milestone in Veolia Southwark’s journey towards ecological transformation.
“After years of trialling different solutions, we’ve found the perfect balance between sustainability and operational efficiency. These vehicles not only address the unique challenges of our MRF environment but also align with the carbon-neutrality goals we are working towards in partnership with Southwark Council.”
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