BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP, OHIO --- The Portage County Solid Waste Management District is converting its 18-truck fleet to biodiesel fuel this year. 

The truck fleet collects recyclables at its 800 commercial and 15 drop-off sites. 

"We're hoping that we have a cleaner-burning exhaust," William Steiner, district director, told KentNewsNet.com. "We'd be kind of hypocritical if we're in waste management picking up recyclables and didn't make a change like this." 

Steiner pointed out that converting the trucks to biodiesel was a more cost-effective solution than buying a new fleet of trucks. 

The district did, however, decide to buy one new truck to replace a 1999 model that had more than 380,000 miles. This purchase was made possible by a $146,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development, Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The Solid Waste Management Enterprise fund of the district will provide an additional $39,000 for the new $200,000 truck.

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