New electric vans to boost recycling awareness and tackle environmental crime
17 March 2025
The zero‑emission vehicles were purchased from the local Toyota dealership in Builth Wells with funding from Welsh Government and will enable officers to reach communities more sustainably while helping reduce the council's carbon footprint. With an impressive 210‑mile range the vans are ideally suited to the team's work of engaging with residents, attending community events, and responding quickly to environmental issues across Powys.
The Waste Awareness Team plays a vital role in encouraging responsible waste behaviour, providing advice on local recycling services, and working with communities to reduce waste and keep neighbourhoods clean. The new vans will also support officers in their enforcement duties, including investigating fly‑tipping and addressing littering hotspots.
Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, said: "These new electric vans will enhance our existing fleet of vehicles as we continue to reduce emissions across our operations. They will strengthen the presence of our Waste Awareness Team in communities across Powys, supporting their essential work to help residents recycle more, reduce waste and keep our county clean. Having fully electric vehicles will help us do that in a more sustainable way."
The council continues to explore opportunities to replace more of its fleet with ultra‑low‑emission vehicles in line with the recently adopted Sustainable Resource Strategy (Waste and Recycling) and the organisations wider environmental ambitions of becoming net zero by 2030. Further electric vehicles for recycling collections and street‑cleaning operations have already been ordered and are expected to arrive soon.
Photo: Waste Awareness Officers, James Sewell and Bethan Irwin, with one of the new electric vans.
