DeKalb County Sanitation Department is being recognized as the Community Fleet Leader for 2013 due to their commitment to compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. In 2012, they began with 40 CNG vehicles and added another 24 vehicles in 2013. Their commitment is highlighted by the fact that already in 2014, they have added an additional 8 CNG vehicles, bringing their total number to 72 with a commitment to convert their entire fleet of over 300 vehicles to CNG. Switching to CNG has resulted in significant decreases in their overall fuel costs over the last three years, a number which will only increase over time. Converting to CNG also furthers DeKalb County Sanitation’s goal of recover and use landfill gas in their entire fleet.

Their landfill methane gas collection and processing facility began operations in April 2012, providing renewable natural gas to Atlanta Gas Light through a pipeline connection at the landfill. This fuel ultimately supplies CNG fueling stations for the County. In October 2012, DeKalb County’s Seminole Road Landfill opened its own CNG refueling station, to use their own fuel onsite. Now DeKalb County is in a sustainable position where the waste gas produced by the landfill will actually be used to fuel the vehicles that collect and handle the garbage. The efforts of the DeKalb County Sanitation Department have not only had an environmental benefit by reducing air emissions, but they have also promoted the business case for using municipal waste as a renewable transportation fuel.