Environmental Management Administration

The music played by garbage trucks at scheduled times each day is a familiar part of daily life for many people. With advances in technology and the growing trend toward net-zero emissions, garbage trucks are no longer simply vehicles for waste collection and transport. They are steadily evolving toward lower-carbon, smarter, and safer operations.

In recent years, the administration has continued to promote the upgrading of garbage trucks. Through the introduction of low-carbon technologies, smart management systems, and AI applications, these upgrades not only reduce carbon emissions generated during waste collection and transport but also improve the safety of sanitation workers and the efficiency of waste collection services, creating a more environmentally friendly living environment.

This article will explain why garbage trucks need to be upgraded and how the development of low-carbon garbage trucks and smart waste collection vehicles is being advanced.

Garbage trucks travel through streets and neighborhoods every day, carrying out the important task of waste collection and transport. However, traditional garbage trucks face many challenges, including diesel vehicle emissions, operating noise, relatively high fuel consumption, and risks to sanitation workers arising from reversing blind spots, nighttime operations, and road traffic conditions.

In addition, amid trends toward net-zero emissions and smart city development, waste collection services must address environmental protection, public safety, and management efficiency at the same time. As a result, garbage trucks are gradually being upgraded with low-carbon and smart technologies to improve the quality of waste collection services and provide safer, more environmentally friendly, and more efficient public services.

At present, garbage truck development is primarily focused on two areas: low-carbon garbage trucks and smart waste collection vehicles.

To reduce the environmental impacts of waste collection and transport, the Ministry of Environment is promoting low-carbon garbage trucks and encouraging local governments to gradually replace older vehicles with more energy-efficient and less-polluting models. Low-carbon garbage trucks offer the following features:

• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases
• Improve fuel efficiency and reduce energy consumption
• Decrease vehicle exhaust emissions and improve air quality
• Lower operating noise and reduce impacts on residents’ daily lives

In addition to improving vehicle performance, subsidies are provided to local governments to replace aging garbage trucks, accelerating the nationwide transition to low-carbon waste collection vehicles and advancing toward net-zero emissions goals.

In addition to reducing carbon emissions, garbage trucks are also beginning to incorporate smart technologies to create safer and more efficient waste collection services. Smart waste collection vehicles integrate technologies such as AI, sensors, GPS positioning, image recognition, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, helping sanitation workers better understand the environment surrounding the vehicle, reducing operational risks while improving fleet management efficiency. Smart equipment includes:

• AI image recognition and hazard alerts
• Reverse-motion personnel and obstacle detection
• Vehicle GPS positioning
• Driving video recording
• Fleet management and data analysis

Through smart technologies, waste collection efficiency is improved, while the risk of accidents is reduced and the safety of sanitation workers is enhanced.

Upgrading garbage trucks is not simply about replacing vehicles and equipment. It also brings multiple benefits to the public, sanitation workers, and the environment.

To create safer and more environmentally friendly waste collection services, the administration continues to promote garbage truck upgrades. These efforts include subsidizing local governments to replace aging garbage trucks, promoting low-carbon garbage trucks, introducing smart technologies and digital management systems, and assisting local governments in improving the quality and management efficiency of waste collection services. Looking ahead, the administration will continue integrating low-carbon technologies, smart technologies, and data applications to develop a new generation of waste collection systems that balance environmental protection, public safety, and service quality, providing the public with a higher-quality living environment.

AIoT-Based Smart Waste Management

Low-Carbon Garbage Truck Initiative