Waste Management Inc. has opened a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station for its waste and recycling collection vehicles in Conroe, Texas, and said it will expand its fleet of natural gas-powered trucks in the Houston area.

The Houston-based company said in a news release it expects to add 35 CNG-powered waste and recycling collection vehicles by the end of this year. The company currently operates five CNG vehicles in the Houston area.

The new publicfueling station in the Houston suburb will refuel Waste Management's local fleet and sell CNG to commercial fleets. Eventually, it also will open to retail customers with CNG-equipped vehicles.

Waste Management currently operates more than 1,400 CNG vehicles, which it claims is the largest CNG waste and recycling collection fleet in North America. The company said natural gas vehicles will represent 80 percent of the company’s annual new truck purchases this year, a trend that will continue the next five years. Waste Management will increase its number of fueling stations in North America to 50 by the end of this year compared with 28 currently.