VANCOUVER, B.C. — Progressive Waste Solutions announced this morning it is expanding its fleet of natural gas waste and recycling trucks.

The announcement was made at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference.

The company says it already operates the largest natural gas-powered refuse fleet in Canada.

“This is a business decision that supports our company’s commitment to sustainability,” said Joseph Quarin, vice chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Progressive Waste Solutions. “Compressed natural gas is a cleaner source of fuel from well to wheel and, by converting to it, we offer our customers a more environmentally friendly approach to collecting residential and commercial waste and recyclable materials.”

The company currently runs more than 100 natural gas-powered vehicles in Canada, with fleets in Surrey, B.C. and Simcoe County, Ont., representing about 10% of its total fleet size. It plans to add another 40 natural gas trucks by the end of this year, some of which will be deployed in Montreal, Que.

As it refreshes its fleet, the company says 50-55% of its new vehicles will be powered by natural gas.

The company says its CNG trucks cost about 15% more to purchase than conventional diesel-powered trucks, however they deliver a return on investment within an “attractive timeframe.”

“Converting our fleet to natural gas helps municipalities meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reduces pollution in the neighbourhoods we serve,” said Dan Pio, vice-president and Canadian chief operating officer, Progressive Waste Solutions. “We’re on the brink of a monumental industry shift. Progressive Waste Solutions is leading the conversion to natural gas fleets in Canada.”