Long Beach City Council Votes to Electrify Its Garbage Trucks

Today, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to approve a landmark resolution electrifying 100% of the city’s diesel garbage trucks. Last month, Long Beach Mayor Richardson announced that refuse truck electrification would be a priority for the city. Now, this resolution, which was spearheaded by the mayor, Councilmember Cindy Allen, and Vice Mayor Uranga, codifies those commitments into law.

This welcomed news will clean up Long Beach’s dangerously poor air quality and help the City meet its climate commitments. Diesel garbage trucks, which belch pollution into neighborhoods across California, are big culprits of both climate and air pollution in California. Alternatively, electric refuse trucks are quieter than their diesel counterparts while emitting zero pollution.

“We applaud City Councilmember Cindy Allen, Mayor Rex Richardson, and Vice Mayor Robert Uranga for tackling Long Beach’s air quality crisis by electrifying its garbage trucks,” said Fernando Gaytan, senior attorney on Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign. “Long Beach remains one of the most polluted places in the United States, so communities desperately need solutions that will clean up the air and improve quality of life. This is exactly the type of action we need from our local leaders.”

“Long Beach leaders continue to lead the nation in electrification and clean-tech job creation,” said Jasmin Vargas, Western States Senior Organizer, Jobs To Move America. “Soon, garbage day will bring clean, quiet electric trucks built with high-road jobs through Long Beach’s streets. Cleaning the local air while creating clean-tech jobs for communities in need sounds like a win-win to me.”

Garbage trucks are ripe for electrification across the country because they drive predictable routes during the day and are easily charged at night. As more truck manufacturers ramp up production of electric vehicles, next generation models are becoming widely available. Manufacturers like Mack Trucks, BYD, and Lion Electric have produced multiple models of electric garbage trucks, and cities like New York, Boise, and Portland have already deployed them.

”We’re excited the City is moving towards zero-emission solutions that improve community air quality and public health,” said Yassi Kavezade, Senior Campaign Advisor, Sierra Club. “By transitioning to all-electric vehicles, we not only reduce harmful emissions in our communities but also set a strong example for other cities to prioritize the health of their communities.”