Backers of the new federal tax law touted its ability to boost corporate investment and expansion activity as a reason to support the measure. Owners of several waste and recycling companies seem to have used their tax savings windfall to grow their companies via merger and acquisition (M&A) strategies.

Waste and recycling industry veterans are thoroughly familiar with the ongoing and dynamic presence of M&A activity in this sector. In the past two decades, juggernauts such as Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI), Allied Waste, USA Waste, Waste Management Inc. (WM) and Republic Services have arrived on (and in some cases, departed from) the scene.

These large companies tend to have “war chests” set aside to grow through acquisition, and in some cases (such as Allied Waste and Republic Services in 2008), choose to be part of a larger merger in an effort to capture greater market share.

As the year draws to a close, 2018 has seen examples of both types of M&A activity, as owners and managers of waste companies large and small had a lot of options at their disposal buoyed by a steady economic climate.

The fundamental things apply

Executives and their financial support teams charged with acquisition activities maintain an understanding that paying more for a company than what it’s valued at is often a flashing red light to avoid the deal.

Speaking at Waste Today’s 2018 Capital Markets Conference held this October in Chicago, Effram Kaplan of the Cleveland-based private investment bank Brown Gibbons Lang & Co. (BGL), said valuations of companies in the environmental services field for 2018 were “not out of whack.”

The increased buying activity among national-scale solid waste companies, however, could be moving valuations, based on price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, up into territories where buyers need to carefully consider whether the price is right, Kaplan added. He told conference attendees that while the industry still held some M&A opportunities, challenges also abound in the sector.

The due diligence involved in buying a waste company can go well beyond calculating the P/E ratio or a revenue multiple. When buying a waste company that owns one or more landfills, the potential environmental liabilities that go along with the transaction can serve as a deal breaker. Additionally, when investing in a company that engages in recycling activities, executives must also consider unstable commodity pricing.

Speaking at a different session at the Capital Markets Conference, Seth Cunningham, project manager of Kansas City, Missouri-based consulting firm Burns & McDonnell, said there are several factors affecting pricing for recyclables at the moment. He included contamination in residentially collected material as “a big cost” that is affecting the market.

Despite the caution signals that can appear on the road to M&A transactions, 2018 has seen a steady amount of activity in the waste and recycling sector.

In an interview with Waste Today editor Adam Redling published in the September/October 2018 edition of the magazine, Scott Sergeant of Los Angeles-based advisory firm Houlihan Lokey described the current M&A market for sellers as “very strong, both generally across all industries and in the environmental/waste sectors. This is driven by an abundance of private equity capital, healthy corporate balance sheets, strong credit markets and the economy in general.” (The full interview is in an article titled “Navigating the M&A waters” starting on page 56 of our September/October issue.)

In that same interview, Sergeant said economic cycles can be less influential in waste sector transactions compared to those in many other industries. “The [waste] sector is a relatively safe place to invest because the demand for these services does not go away—they are critical to the operation of all businesses and governments.”

He added a caveat, however, stating that “from either buyer or seller perspectives, the timing of economic cycles is always a factor, as is the target company’s exposure to cyclicality.” Sergeant’s observation would indicate that larger waste firms saw 2018 as an opportune time to continue growing via acquisition, but the same conditions will not last indefinitely.

War chests and rainy days

The largest national and regional waste companies do not announce each acquisition they make, although there are enough press releases issued and media discoveries of non-announced deals to paint a picture of M&A activity in a given year.

Some transactions are high-profile enough to receive immediate attention, and when two public companies merge, there are regulatory requirements to make the deal transparent for shareholders.

One fourth quarter transaction of suitable scale was the merger between Toronto-based GFL Environmental Inc. with Raleigh, North Carolina-based Waste Industries. The latter firm was deemed by GLF to have “an [estimated] enterprise value of U.S. $2.825 billion.”

Post-merger GFL describes itself as “the largest private environmental services company in North America, with operations in all Canadian provinces, except Prince Edward Island, and in 20 states in the United States.” The Waste Industries assets added non-hazardous solid waste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware to the existing GFL portfolio.

Many other 2018 transactions followed the model of larger national and regional firms acquiring smaller companies to grow their market share in specific metro areas, states or regions.

In the fourth quarter alone, Rutland, Vermont-based Casella Waste Systems Inc. announced the acquisition of three hauling firms in the state of New York and another in Maine.

Waste Corporation of America (WCA), based in Houston, also has announced several acquisitions throughout 2018, including haulers in Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas.

Two of the big heavyweights in the U.S. market, WM and Republic Services, routinely solicit inquiries from smaller waste companies ready to sell their companies.

On a page of its website labeled “Acquisitions and divestitures,” WM states it is “interested in growing through strategic acquisitions.” The company adds, “Throughout our history, we have acquired thousands of companies, and our acquisition team is continually evaluating new opportunities. We have the experience to evaluate a company, close a transaction and quickly integrate the acquired business into Waste Management. If you are considering selling your business, give us a call.”

Toronto-based Waste Connections Inc. similarly hosts a web page soliciting inquiries from business owners preparing to sell their companies, indicating North America’s largest waste firms continue to possess cash reserves, or “war chests,” ready to acquire companies that fit into their strategic growth models.

For smaller waste and recycling company owners, knowing their larger competitors are willing to gain market share through acquisition can serve as a reason to leave the industry if they determine that selling the business is the best course of action.

Isn’t that special?

By both waste (and recycling) volume and dollars spent and earned, the municipal solid waste (MSW) and commercial hauling service sectors have shown themselves to be the kingpins in the North American environmental services market.

Existing alongside these sizable sectors, however, are a variety of niche, specialty and sometimes hazardous waste markets that have attracted the attention of investors attempting to build companies with national scale.

In his presentation at the Capital Markets Conference, Kaplan said such specialty waste segments are still relatively fragmented, providing the opportunity for investors to use M&A activity to build companies of a larger scale.

At some point, larger firms such as WM or Republic Services may turn more of their attention to these niche sectors, but as of now, much of the M&A activity in the hazardous and medical waste segments is attracting a different pool of buyers. The waste-to-energy (WTE) sector also has its own roster of players, although the large MSW companies sometimes cross over into this territory.

Among the buyers on the specialty waste side this past year was Fort Worth, Texas-based TAS Environmental Services, which acquired two fellow Texas specialty waste firms in August and now operates 13 locations. The company engages in industrial environmental services, emergency and spill response, wastewater disposal, transportation, box rental and terminal services.

In the WTE sector, New Jersey-based Covanta Environmental Solutions has been active on the acquisition front as well in 2018. In September, the company completed the acquisition of two WTE facilities in Florida, while in February, it added to its non-WTE portfolio by acquiring a Canadian firm that operates recycling material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Ontario.

WTE plant operator Wheelabrator Technologies, based in New Hampshire, was itself acquired by a subsidiary of the Australia-based financing firm the Macquarie Group.

Fewer publicly announced transactions took place in the medical waste handling sector in 2018 compared to the year before, although in the northeastern U.S., Connecticut-based Pathacura and New York-based Red Bags merged operations.

The pace of waste- and recycling-related M&A activity kept many company executives, along with the bankers, accountants and attorneys with whom they consult, busy in 2018. However, in his interview with Waste Today, Sergeant says there is no guarantee that same pace of activity will stay constant in 2019.

“It is hard to predict what the environment will be a year from now, but it is unlikely to be any better than it is currently,” he says.

The author is a senior editor with the Recycling Today Media Group and can be contacted at btaylor@gie.net.

Landfills are a cost-effective solution for dealing with municipal solid waste (MSW). However, the liquid and gas byproducts generated at these dump sites must be painstakingly monitored to ensure that harm to the environment is minimized. Landfill gas (LFG), which is a natural emission stemming from the decomposition of organic landfill waste, consists of approximately half methane and half carbon dioxide (CO2). Together, these landfill-generated gases are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the world.

While the city of Toronto emphasizes a comprehensive integrated waste management strategy that prioritizes waste reduction, reuse and diversion, minimizing the footprint of its Green Lane Landfill is top of mind for operators.

Inside Green Lane

The Green Lane Landfill was purchased by the city of Toronto in 2007. Formerly a small local landfill owned by the private sector, Green Lane has expanded to a site area of 129.7 hectares (about 320 acres), of which 71.2 hectares (about 175 acres) is approved for landfilling. Through rigorous monitoring and oversight, the city’s Solid Waste Management Services staff aids in limiting the environmental effects of the landfill to help promote a safe, long-term solution to handle the city’s waste through its estimated 2040 close date.

Green Lane Landfill currently features a hydraulic trap, leachate collection system, leachate treatment plant, LFG collection system, enclosed flares and stormwater control system to protect the site from environmental harm.

LFG is collected from 170 vertical and 68 horizontal collection wells and 9 manholes located at the site. Approximately 75 to 80 percent of the current landfilling area includes vertical and horizontal landfill gas collection wells and subheader and header pipes, which convey LFG to three enclosed flares.

“Vertical landfill gas collection wells are installed in locations that have been filled to final elevations alongside slopes and at the surface of the original landfill and interim expansion area,” says Grace Maione, the acting director of processing and resource management for Toronto’s Solid Waste Management Services Division. “Horizontal LFG collection wells are installed as landfilling progresses with the first trenches installed at least 6 meters (about 20 feet) above the landfill base. LFG is also collected from leachate collection system manholes. Blowers at the flares pull landfill gas from subheader pipes connected to the wells to a larger perimeter header pipe that runs along the north and south limits of the landfill. Condensate traps are located at low points in the system to collect moisture from the LFG, and collected condensate is sent to the leachate treatment plant.”

Overall, Maione says that approximately 4,300 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM) of LFG is collected at the site, which is equivalent to more than 60 million cubic meters per year. This LFG is incinerated in three enclosed flares and a fourth flare is planned for the near future.

Monitoring the site

Green Lane staff is tasked with monitoring and analyzing complex LFG data generated from the site and works to make modifications as needed to maximize collection efficiency.

“The landfill gas management system includes flow meters at each flare and an analyzer that continuously monitors the methane and oxygen content in the main gas header,” Maione says. “The gas analyzer is calibrated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and the city is notified of results. Values are communicated in real time to the operator though the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system. The engineer also collects a landfill gas sample annually, which is sent to an independent laboratory for testing. The pressure, methane, oxygen, non-methane organic compounds (NMOC), carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide results are tested and reported in [Green Lane’s] annual report.”

Green Lane’s staff works to maintain appropriate vacuum at the gas capture sites while limiting the amount of oxygen that is drawn into the system to prevent the risk of fires. Temperature and carbon monoxide levels are also scrutinized to ensure that the system is performing as designed.

One staff member is dedicated to monitoring the landfill as part of Green Lane’s engineering oversight. This staff member spends two to three days collecting the data from the wells in the field and then two days writing inspection reports and communicating findings in monthly meetings.

“LFG management requires monitoring of the overall and individual flow rates, pressure, quality and temperature at the wells,” Maione says. “Operations staff regularly monitor flow and percentage of methane and oxygen at each well to ensure the optimum vacuum is applied to the well field to maximize LFG capture and minimize odor. The contracted engineers also monitor gas flow, temperature and content at each well, manhole and at the flares, and [they] check on the condition of valves, sampling ports, flex hoses and settlement at the collection points. Immediate feedback is provided if necessary, and monthly meetings are held with the contractor, engineer and city to discuss observations and potential adjustments to the well field and system.”

To keep the system working as intended, Green Lane’s operations, maintenance and construction contractor currently employs two Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)-licensed operators to oversee the LFG management system. According to Maione, construction is carried out by their subcontractor using crews that include a construction manager, project administrator, construction supervisor and heavy equipment operators, laborers and health and safety representatives.

Maione says that Green Lane’s LFG collection system is aggressively advanced each year to maximize the capture at the site. This is made possible by the continuous installation of horizontal and vertical collection wells and sub-header pipes as needed.

Photos provided by City of Toronto

Breath of fresh air

Since LFG began being collected at Green Lane in 2004, significant progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gases. Maione says that in 2017, the site’s methane emissions were reduced by the CO2 equivalent of 414,301 metric tons.

Along with reducing greenhouse gases, LFG collection and diversion practices at the site have helped improve air quality in the surrounding area. Maione says that the city retained the services of a third-party consultant in 2012 that specializes in odor surveys and assessments. After a written odor abatement plan was drafted by the agency, Green Lane staff went to work to implement the best practices in 2013 and 2014.

“Refuse-related odors have since been reduced by the planned development of protected and screened active disposal areas, the reduction of the size of the daily working area and the progressive elimination of most waste types requiring special handling by receiving trenches,” Maione says. She adds that additional interim cover was applied to many areas of the site, which is a method the organization uses to control odor in areas that produce more landfill gas. For additional odor control, Green Lane also makes adjustments to the landfill gas collection field to draw more gas from higher production areas, as well as adjustments to the active landfilling area so that additional cover can be placed strategically.

Next steps

Although Toronto is not currently converting landfill gas at Green Lane to renewable natural gas (RNG), the opportunity is there to utilize this waste byproduct for energy. Green Lane has been identified as one of four area sites with RNG production capabilities by the city. However, changes in the city’s government following a recent election have led to uncertainty as to the future market for these renewable energies.

“Recognizing there are significant changes coming at the provincial and federal levels of government when it comes to renewable energy, coupled with an emerging renewable natural gas market and potentially a renewable fuel standards program in Canada, the city’s strategy today is to capture and convert biogas/landfill gas to RNG and inject it into the natural gas distribution grid,” Carlyle Khan, director of infrastructure development and asset management for Toronto’s Solid Waste Management Services Division, says. “Once in the grid, the city’s options in terms of its end use are numerous, with the base case being use in our Solid Waste Management Services fleet. There is an environmental benefit from moving the Solid Waste Management Services fleet from diesel to natural gas, and further by moving to RNG. The optimal scenario from an economics perspective is still developing.”

Khan says that although the city is waiting to see how public policies influence the demand for LFG technologies in the near term, Green Lane Landfill plans to play a pivotal role in helping Toronto better reach its civic goals in the decades to come.

“Renewable natural gas has the potential to offset electricity consumption behind the meter at Green Lane Landfill and be used in heavy-duty natural gas vehicles and equipment, but the real value comes from a triple bottom line considering the social, environmental and economic benefits once federal and provincial policies and programs are set and the emerging RNG market matures.”

The author is the editor for Waste Today and can be contacted at aredling@gie.net.

Integrated waste management programs rely on a multifaceted approach to improving waste collection, diversion and reduction efforts. The Terrace Area Integrated Solid Waste Management Program (TAISWMP), which is the integrated plan in place for the Terrance area of Kitimat-Stikine in the northwestern part of British Columbia, was carefully drafted over two decades to best meet the needs of area residents and businesses.

Thanks to the comprehensive approach of the TAISWMP, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine was recognized by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) as the 2018 Gold Winner of the association’s Integrated Solid Waste Management System Excellence Award. This award recognizes programs that exemplify excellence in the management and operations of integrated solid waste management systems through a combination of waste minimization, source reduction, recycling and public education efforts.

The start of something big

According to Roger Tooms, manager of works and services at the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, the district drafted the TAISWMP to focus on protecting the environment, reducing waste that ended up in landfill and providing a more convenient platform for generators. Users of the TAISWMP include single-family and multifamily homes, schools, medical facilities and various other businesses.

“While completing our Solid Waste Management Plan in 1995, we learned from stakeholders how important it was for the Regional District to improve our waste management habits [through] protection of the environment and increased waste diversion tactics. Stakeholders continued to express this preference throughout the 20-year development of the TAISWMP.”

In 2014, the Regional District Board confirmed project plans and authorized the design of two state-of-the-art facilities—the Forceman Ridge Waste Management Facility and the Thornhill Transfer Station—to aid in the program’s efforts. These facilities were conceptualized after thorough site investigations to ensure they would co-exist with the surrounding environment.

In addition to the construction of the new facilities, a comprehensive three-stream curbside collection program was developed to support the goals of the TAISWMP. The collection program provides organics, recyclables and garbage collection for 6,738 single-family homes. The estimated population for the entire service area is 19,073 and the program has an annual budget of $3 million.

A closer look

The Thornhill Transfer Station was constructed at the site of the recently closed Thornhill Landfill in Terrace and serves as the staging location for residential curbside and commercial haulers.

According to the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine’s 2018 Excellence Award entry, the Thornhill Transfer Station consists of “an attendant gate house; scales; a ‘Z-Wall’ for residential drop off, including bins for organics, garbage, metal and construction materials; a multi-bay building with a tip floor for garbage from commercial and curbside collection haulers; and an organics collection area for commercial and curbside haulers.”

Waste deposited on the tip floor is pushed into a trailer from Delhi, Ontario-based Titan Trailers Inc. with a capacity of 69 cubic meters and then compacted. Once the trailer is at capacity, it is transported to the Forceman Ridge facility.

The Forceman Ridge facility, which was commissioned in November 2016, was designed in accordance with a bylaw governing residents and businesses that requires the separation of organic materials, metal, cardboard, tires and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) materials from general garbage, such as printed paper and packaging materials, which are collected as curbside recycling.

Some of the notable features of the Forceman Ridge Waste Management Facility include:

• an advanced GORE Composting facility that converts organics into Class A compost,
• a double-lined engineered landfill,
• a five-step leachate treatment system,
• a septage receiving facility with engineered filtration beds for efficient dewatering, and
• the use of Revelstoke Iron Grizzly, Revelstoke, British Columbia, steel plates as alternative daily cover to reduce the need for soil cover.

To help pay for the program and facilities, disposal costs were adjusted to reflect the new services.

“The integrated system includes a three-stream curbside collection system for most residents that is $200 annually,” Tooms says. “When we commissioned the recently implemented solid waste services, waste disposal at the new facilities included another stakeholder preference—a user-pay philosophy. Residents are now required to pay a minimum of $10 per disposal. The convenient curbside program includes unlimited recycling and organics. In addition, our education and awareness program provides residents with the information required to divert most household wastes through the EPR depot system and other diversion opportunities, such as not-for-profit services. It is now much easier for residents to avoid using the transfer station and [avoid paying the] related cost.”

While the new program is more convenient and provides a platform that is more environmentally responsible for users, it is more costly. According to Tooms, today’s services are on average two to three times more expensive than in 2015.

Educating the masses

Due to all the changes presented by the adoption of the TAISWMP, both the public and commercial operators had to be educated on proper recycling and diversion practices.

“We developed strategies to manage our planned organics and recyclables for the residential and institutional, commercial and industrial (ICI) sectors,” Tooms says. “In addition, we prepared a transition plan to manage the change for all stakeholders, including haulers, contractors and Regional District staff. Our servicing plan includes ongoing ICI and multifamily facility visits to assist with participation and ongoing updates to our education and awareness program.”

Tooms says the solid waste services team had information booths at seven events in 2018 that informed residents of: materials accepted in curbside recycling and organics collection; depot drop-off materials and depot locations; the health and environmental risks of burning garbage; how recycling is regulated in British Columbia through EPR; and tips on backyard composting and water conservation.

Additionally, Tooms says the district offers classroom instruction to all interested schools that includes an overview of what can be recycled, why recycling and composting is important and interactive games aimed at teaching participants about proper recycling practices. The classroom sessions are for children in grades one through three, but Tooms hopes they’ll carry some of these best practices home to their families to help improve residential diversion rates.

Measuring success

In September 2017, the Regional District contracted with a third-party consulting firm to conduct a detailed waste composition audit at the Thornhill Transfer Station. During the audit, the city of Terrace’s curbside collection, Regional District Greater Terrace Area’s curbside collection, residential drop-off and ICI waste was analyzed to identify restricted landfill items, such as recyclables and hazardous materials.

According to Tooms, the results of the composition study show that residents of Terrace are achieving diversion rates similar to other Canadian jurisdictions that have pursued three-stream curbside collection, including metro Vancouver and the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. Additionally, data shows that area participants diverted 1,363 metric tons of waste in 2017, which equates to 2,044 metric tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gases removed from landfill.

While the audit showed the progress the program is making, it also allowed the district to target those who were in noncompliance with the new mandates.

“Information obtained from the audit allowed for targeted education for waste streams that could use the most improvement. This resulted in more visits to businesses and industries that generate large volumes of cardboard and/or organic waste,” Tooms says. “Additional audits have been conducted in-house by Regional District staff on greater Terrace area curbside recycling collection. Two audits have been completed to date, with a focus on program education. These audits were conducted by travelling the collection routes and performing visual inspections of the recyclables set out for collection. When bags of recycling contained incorrect materials, the address was noted and the resident later received a letter outlining what the problem materials were, how to properly dispose of them in the future and where to find additional program information.”

Tooms says that so far, the Regional District has emphasized education over financial penalties for those in noncompliance, with a hope that practices will become refined with clearer instruction.

Although buy-in hasn’t happened overnight with all parties affected by the program, Tooms says that the framework put in place by the TAISWMP will allow the community to better manage its waste in an environmentally conscious way for years to come.

“[The program has] absolutely been a success. The board built an improved system its communities can be proud of,” he says. “We heard a common theme from participants throughout the planning process—protect our environment. Listening paid dividends that will benefit our community for many generations.”

The author is the editor for Waste Today and can be contacted at aredling@gie.net.

Maintaining a functional fleet of refuse trucks is critical to a waste company’s operations. But between advanced onboard electronics, modern hydraulic systems and increasingly complex engines, the new cohort of refuse truck fleets has maintenance needs that extend far beyond what the previous generation of repair technicians faced.

“The industry has to, and is, adapting to a new generation of vehicles, which means you can’t fix a truck anymore without having a laptop hooked up to it,” says Darry Stuart, president and “limited time executive” of the Wrentham, Massachusetts-based DWS Fleet Management Services. Stuart says his position, which he’s served in for nearly two decades, is similar to a consultant in that he helps fleet personnel identify problems, but he also works with teams to fix those problems and implement effective preventative maintenance (PM) programs to reduce costs.

Stuart says fleet managers should strive to maximize truck uptime and be the low-cost provider without skimping on maintenance. The same basic principle of refuse truck maintenance has remained throughout his 40-year career in fleet management: Prevention checks are key. Just what to prioritize in those checks, though, has shifted from fundamental vehicular components, like grease and oil, to more high-tech components, like computer, electrical and hydraulic systems.

Along with following the basic daily checks recommended by the vehicle manufacturer in the truck’s operation and maintenance manual, Stuart also recommends setting up a PM program for regular deep-dive checks. The frequency of those checks should revolve around maximizing the quality and use of the oil and grease. Calculating the appropriate PM intervals depends on the specific truck’s hours on the road or gallons of fuel burned; however, the exact interval hinges on other factors like oil quality and manufacturer recommendations, Stuart says. Newer trucks, for example, can run a solid 400 hours before needing PM thanks to more efficient engines and oils.

Stuart warns that fleet managers must emphasize quality over timing during checks. Without a quality PM program in place, Stuart says mechanics tend to “touch the truck more than necessary.” That can cut down on vehicle uptime and prevent realization of maximum oil life, which translates into dollars lost.

Additionally, managers should encourage comprehensive inspections rather than expediency, since sloppy or rushed checks may lead to overlooked issues and problems down the road.

“Be careful on how you try to control the productivity of preventative maintenance by forcing the technician to work faster than necessary,” Stuart says.

Conducting preventative maintenance

When it comes time for PM, batteries should be at the top of the list of things to check, Stuart says.

Today’s trucks rely on batteries not just to start, but also to carry out their various specified functions. A couple hundred electronic sensors reside in the truck’s engine alone, while other parts of the truck, like probes and fuel injectors, rely on electronics as well.

“Everything is controlled by electronics, and at the heart of electronics are the batteries,” Stuart says. “That’s why batteries and battery maintenance are critical. It’s probably the most important thing in the truck today. If you don’t have well-maintained batteries, the trucks won’t operate correctly.”

Stuart says that proper testing is key. If battery charge is low, the truck could die at a moment’s notice. In addition, voltage drops can affect efficiency in nearly every part of the truck, from emissions to automatic transmission shifting. Stuart says the battery cables need to be disconnected, cleaned and load-tested during each PM check to be sure a full charge is getting through. Low-voltage batteries present special concern because they can put more pressure on the truck’s alternator and starter and, ultimately, reduce the lifespan of those components.

While monitoring batteries is critical, PM on the truck’s electronic system extends far beyond regular voltage checks, Stuart notes. For newer trucks, Stuart recommends making the proper financial investments to adequately test the equipment. This includes using diagnostic equipment, scanners and laptops to receive necessary feedback on vehicle performance as well as software updates. He also recommends investing in personnel training, too, so mechanics are up to date on the latest technology. Some manufacturers offer training for their specific models of trucks—McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc., a Dodge Center, Minnesota-based Oshkosh Corporation company, for example, recently announced the creation of a new program to train service technicians on how to maintain its vehicles.

Hydraulics also need to be a part of the regular checks, Stuart says, as refuse trucks rely on these systems to power everything from their automated operations to their brake systems. During every PM service, Stuart recommends checking all parts of the hydraulic system to be sure they’re functioning correctly, including the mounting, lines, hoses, fittings, valves and connections. Additionally, he recommends a thorough cleaning of debris from these areas. Hydraulic (and air) brakes also need to be regularly checked for leaks, and pads and rotors need to be measured to determine if they need to be replaced.

Beyond the hydraulics, Stuart emphasizes the need for making sure vehicle systems are adequately lubricated.

“When you put all these service items together, it’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of general wear and tear, even with proper greasing and lubrication,” Stuart says.

In a sample 90-step PM sheet provided by Stuart, he lists more than 20 different areas of the truck to keep lubricated with “the best grease you can buy.” Stuart recommends Petro-Canada Peerless OG2 Red, or a product of a similar quality. Areas of focus include forks, arms, slides, moving parts, U-joints, clutch linkages and more. Paying attention to these little details on the truck will help operators avoid bigger problems in the long run, Stuart says.

Thorough PMs also need to include an oil change and checks on tires, air filtering and cooling systems. Because of increasingly strict federal emission rules and new engine technology, trucks are generating more heat than they used to, so cooling systems must be in good working order for the truck to function properly. Since the excess heat generated during operation can make traces of coolant leaks evaporate, regular pressure testing of the cooling system is essential to a proper check, Stuart says.

Tires are a critical safety component on the vehicle, which is why these service items should be regularly checked for inflation and wear. Tires should be kept properly inflated, and the front axle should be properly aligned to minimize abnormal wear. Worn, underinflated tires can lead to increased braking distances, reduced steering control and expedited replacement intervals.

Haulers should also consider investing in outside help from manufacturers for advanced maintenance issues, says Zach Martin, the vice president of North America sales for Big Truck Rental, a Tampa, Florida-based company that provides refuse truck rentals across the country.

“Newer truck technologies can allow for easier and quicker diagnostics in identifying issues that may be occurring, but [they] additionally may require a certified dealer to provide the service versus your own maintenance department, depending upon the issue,” Martin says. “It is important to work with manufacturers with good dealer and customer support that can help keep your fleet running.”

Martin also suggests taking a comprehensive approach to vehicle service that includes a multifaceted approach to supplement a hauler’s fleet needs.

“It is important to have a strategy that allows for proper replacement of vehicles based on age/usage, in addition to proper maintenance programs, and I would suggest stepping outside of traditional views to identify what is best for the specific operation,” Martin says. “For example, renting a percentage of vehicles along with ownership may allow for the retirement of older vehicles that create stress to reduce fleet age and maintenance challenges while positively impacting the bottom line.”

Fine-tuning a PM program

While all refuse trucks contain the same basic maintenance needs, each truck has specific areas that need a little extra TLC depending on their function and operation. This is why developing a proper PM program for a fleet depends on the specific trucks in service. Front loaders, for example, need more attention on the cab area, which can experience damage through spills and regular use. Side loaders, on the other hand, need special attention on their side arms, which may be used to service anywhere from 500 to 1,000 houses a day.

“Each different truck will have different characteristics, but service is all based on [protecting] moving parts and [reducing] physical wear and tear,” Stuart says.

The environment and geography a truck is used in also plays a substantial role in determining what PM is needed for that particular unit.

“The extreme conditions of hot and cold, as well as geography—such as running trucks harder in more mountainous terrain—can have an impact on the frequency of service or change the pre- and post-inspection [protocols],” Martin says. “We recommend working with the manufacturers to understand what may be unique about the collection environment and the equipment purchased to create the ideal service plan.”

Taking the time to develop and invest in a quality PM program will maximize uptime and save operators money, Stuart says. For example, one refuse fleet he worked with reduced its tire costs by 25 percent in one year just by adjusting its PM and tire program to properly maintain its units. Conversely, vehicle downtime has a rippling effect, leading to higher costs on technicians, botched timelines, more strain on functioning trucks and less satisfied customers.

No matter how good a PM program is, though, issues are inevitable. Stuart recommends having key parts stocked to save costs on rushed orders. While some fleet managers take issue with purchasing inventory that simply sits on a shelf, Stuart says it’s vital to at least invest in critical, hard-to-find parts.

Operators never know when a vehicle might go down. Being ready for unexpected losses can make it easier to overcome maintenance challenges, maximize uptime and allow haulers to continue uninterrupted service to their customers.

The author is the assistant editor for Waste Today and can be contacted at tcottom@gie.net.