Penrith Recycling

In 2019 SUEZ took control of all waste collection services under contract to Penrith City Council. Prior to this, recycling was handled in a separate contract with Visy, which collected the residential bins and processed the commingled material at their Smithfield MRF. Visy started in Penrith alongside SITA in 2007, initially running a variety of different trucks to conduct the services, until they later settled on a group of MacDonald Johnston Volvo side loaders to run the majority of the contract duration. When an extension was announced, six brand new Volvo FE trucks with Bucher bodies were sourced to replace the existing tired fleet and allow the recycling pickups to continue smoothly. The fresh machinery arrived in late 2016 and was quickly deployed as plain white vehicles, much like most of the original trucks, but soon after each of the upgraded vehicles sported this uniform body livery unique to Penrith. Also this time only two 29m body sizes were ordered, with the other four being massive 35m units, a higher capacity which was unavailable in 2007. I spent a bit of time in Penrith getting some of the old trucks before the new contract started and an updated recycling truck was a must. One morning I found myself circling around the Thursday service zone in search of a big 35m on the job, where eventually I located the featured truck lifting bins between the suburbs of St Marys and Oxley Park. I note I actually captured this footage on a Friday but, as for a while Visy wasn’t doing too well keeping up with scheduled collections, often more than a day behind on the fortnightly household visits. It worked out I videoed this truck only just before it was done in Penrith too, as Visy was relieved of collection duties a couple months early by SUEZ, who took over with existing spare trucks until the new fleet arrived. These new Volvos only worked in Penrith for about 2.5 years, with some disbelief earlier on that Visy was truly getting them for such a short period, but these trucks were leased and live on elsewhere today. Also many thanks to the top bloke operator for being cool and providing me with a much appreciated bottle of water.