CR&R Environmental Services Strives to Leave a Better Planet for Future Generations
CR&R Environmental Services (CR&R) is an innovative waste and recycling collection company that serves more than 2.5 million customers in Southern California, with additional operations in Arizona and Colorado. It pushes the envelope to achieve its goals of 0% landfill, 0% fossil fuels, 100% resource conservation and 100% renewable fuels.
CR&R became a leader in the industry by implementing cutting-edge recycling and resource recovery programs. However, the company wanted to apply its innovative and environmentally friendly thinking to its fleet of refuse vehicles by phasing out diesel-powered collection trucks and replacing them with clean-burning natural gas vehicles (NGVs).
CR&R was an early adopter of NGVs, having deployed its first compressed natural gas (CNG) waste collection truck in 2002. The company is further reducing its NOx emissions by integrating Hexagon Agility’s CNG fuel system and Type 4 composite fuel tanks with near-zero emissions natural gas engines. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has certified this engine to be 90% cleaner than the strictest emission standard.
CR&R’s Unique Approach to Waste Utilization
CR&R is proud of the more than 50 years of innovation, its commitment to the environment, and impeccable service to its commercial, residential and municipal customers. The company has more than 400 natural gas trucks operating in its waste and recycling collection fleet, with the goal of converting 100% of its vehicles to run on natural gas in the near-term. The company operates one of the cleanest and most advanced fueling operations of any refuse fleet in the U.S.
CR&R is helping California cities and businesses meet their waste diversion goals and mitigate harmful methane emissions from decomposing organic waste by operating a state-of-the-art high solid anaerobic digester (HSAD) in Perris, California. The HSAD has the capacity to convert 335,000 tons of organic waste that would have otherwise been deposited into landfills into ultra-low-carbon renewable natural gas (RNG).
Besides fueling its fleet with RNG, CR&R spearheaded a landmark project, becoming the first digester operator in California to inject RNG into the Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) natural gas distribution system. Once the HSAD facility is fully complete, it will be able to produce 4 million gallons of RNG annually.
2002
deeployed first CNG waste collection truck
400
natural gas trucks in operation
“The performance of our fleet of NGV refuse vehicles with the Agility fuel system and the near-zero engine has been a positive experience for our team."
Hexagon Agility Proud to Support CR&R
CR&R is spec’ing new NGV purchases with the Hexagon Agility fuel system, including lightweight carbon fiber composite TUFFSHELL® Type 4 CNG cylinders, with fuel capacity options of 60-100 diesel gallon equivalent (DGE), which can be installed on the roof or front of a refuse truck body, or integrated into the refuse body tailgate. The Agility system is combined with the Cummins Westport near-zero engine.
CR&R became one of the first companies in the nation to deploy trucks with near-zero emission natural gas engines. When fueled with RNG, these engines emit levels of smog-forming pollutants so low that they are four to nine times cleaner than electric trucks of comparable size charged by power from the California grid.
Hexagon Agility is proud to support CR&R as it takes proactive steps to leave a better planet for our children and grandchildren.