tMeijer’s fleet of 170 delivery semi-trucks — powered with highly-efficient diesel engines — contributed to a nearly 60-percent reduction in carbon emissions, company officials said Monday.
t“I'm very pleased to say that Meijer is able to cut (its carbon footprint) and continue to be environmentally conscious,” says David Hoover, Meijer’s director of outbound logistics. “The impact is tremendous because the Meijer fleet makes deliveries to (each of) our 203 stores 26 times each week.”
tThe Grand Rapids-based retailer was the first in North America to implement federal clean emissions standards that feature near-zero emissions technology, a standard adopted by the EPA in 2010, the company says.
tThe retail giant has since realized a 47 percent reduction in particle pollution (acids, organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles). In addition, the fleet achieved a 55 percent reduction (525 tons) in nitrogen oxide, a 3 percent reduction (9,300 tons) in carbon dioxide, and a 5 percent increase in fuel economy, saving 105,570 gallons of fuel each year.
tIt takes 47 of the new 2010 compliant trucks to equal the same emissions as one of the retailer’s older trucks, Hoover says.The diesel fleet is comprised of 170 Freightliner Cascadia trucks that are equipped with new fuel efficient, reduced-emissions engines. They feature selective catalytic reduction technology that treats nitrogen oxides emissions downstream in the exhaust so the engine can be tuned to run more efficiently. SCR technology consists of an after-treatment catalyst system where engine exhaust is treated with a non-hazardous fluid known as diesel exhaust fluid, which breaks down harmful nitrogen oxides into simple nitrogen and water.
tMeijer operates 203 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.
