West Berkshire Council has announced a major environmental initiative.

All waste collection vehicles, including those used for weekly food waste collection and delivery of bins, boxes, and bags, are now powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).

This renewable diesel, made from certified sustainable materials, can replace diesel directly and offers up to a 90 per cent reduction in fossil carbon dioxide emissions.

The council anticipates replacing more than 67,000 litres of diesel with this renewable fuel over the next year, saving around 230 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Councillor Stuart Gourley, executive member for environment and highways at West Berkshire Council, said: "This is an exciting leap forward in our mission to create a more green, clean and sustainable West Berkshire, and continuing to improve our waste services.

"By adopting HVO, we're not just cutting emissions, we're driving real change toward a greener, healthier future for everyone in our community."

David Matthews, general manager at Veolia West Berkshire, said: "Veolia has significant experience in managing the transition to alternative fuels and is delighted to be supporting West Berkshire Council with this move to greener fuels for the local collection fleet.

"Making this change will create a more sustainable service for residents by reducing emissions that impact on the environment, which also contributes towards Veolia's wider goal of ecological transformation."

An electric refuse collection vehicle will also be trialled this autumn.