Waste recycling and disposal contractor, Onyx Hampshire Ltd, is upgrading its fleet with an investment in excess of £500,000 in new lorries and trailers.

The large Mercedes trucks come equipped with new technology suspension, enabling them to carry a heavier load, up from 41 tonnes to the new level of 44 tonnes, resulting in an environmental saving of one in every eight trips.

The haulage fleet of the company, used for the transfer of waste to recycling centres, composting and landfill sites, consumes approximately 1.3 million litres of fuel in a year and uses a total of 845 tyres, some 60% of which are then recycled.

Says Richard Bray, regional director of Onyx: "Upgrading to the larger trucks has been made possible as a result of changes in legislation. We are delighted that the investment has enabled us to improve our environmental performance by reducing the number of trips our fleet makes."

Ends

9 May 2001

Issued by: Julie Fuge, Polymedia 01329 663194