Iveco Eurocargo embarks with Axion on new recycling project

Axion Recycling Ltd has taken delivery of an Iveco Eurocargo 180E24 to be used in a new six-month trial project being funded by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), which aims to increase plastics recycling capacity in the UK.

Supplied by Iveco distributor Norfolk Trucks, the 18 tonne Eurocargo has been fitted with a curtainside body to house specialist mobile shredding equipment that will be able to collect both commercial and industrial rigid plastics.

Keith Freegard, Managing Director of Axion Recycling, explains: “The Eurocargo will be used to target the significant quantities of bulky, waste plastics, such as wheelie bins and plastic pipes that are difficult to recycle because of high transportation costs. It is expected that by shredding the plastics into palletised big-bags ready for haulage at a customer’s own site, the collection and transport will become much more economical.

“We selected the Eurocargo for this new venture based on a mixture of its whole life costs and reputation in the industry for good reliability. The medium roof sleeper cab also provides a comfortable environment for our driver, both during the day and when spending nights away,” he adds.

If the trial proves to be a commercially viable service, Axion intends to continue with the service. It has a target of shredding 600 tonnes of rigid plastic in the first six months, which will save a significant amount of plastic being sent to landfill sites. Already the on-site shredding service is fully booked for the first month of operations, showing that there is definitely a market need for this type of vehicle.

Finished in a bright ‘Pea Green’ livery, the vehicle will initially be based between Bury St Edmunds and Manchester, travelling to sites where there is a sufficient quantity of rigid plastics to be recycled.

It is powered by a 240 hp version of Iveco’s proven 5.9 litre tector engine, which develops up to 810 Nm of torque between 1,250 and 2,100 rev/min, driven through a nine-speed manual gearbox.

Like all Eurocargo models, it also features ABS and an electronic engine immobiliser as standard, as well as a triple activation exhaust brake which can be actuated by the brake pedal, the exhaust brake pedal or by releasing the accelerator.