Covanta Waste to Energy Plants Clean Up at SWANA Awards

Covanta's Gold Award winning Onondaga waste to energy facility 15 August 2012 Three of Covanta Energy's (NYSE: CVA) U.S. waste to energy facilities have received 2012 Excellence Awards from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Covanta Onondaga was awarded Gold, Covanta Fairfax was named Silver and Covanta Marion received Bronze - all in the waste to energy category of the awards which were presented at the annual WASTECON conference in Washington, D.C. SWANA's Excellence Awards Program aims to recognise outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance environmentally and economically sound solid waste management with the use of effective technologies and processes. Factors that are considered in making the awards include system design and operations, the advancement of employee and community health and safety, and the implementation of successful public education and outreach programs. Programs also must demonstrate that they are fiscally and environmentally responsible through compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations. Covanta Onondaga, located in Jamesville, New York, is the operator of the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Facility and serves Onondaga County and the greater Syracuse region. The company said that the facility processes approximately 990 tons (900 tonnes) of municipal solid waste per day and generates some 39 MW of electrical output. Covanta Fairfax is located in Lorton, Virginia and is one of the New Jersey based company's largest waste to energy facilities. The company said that the site processes over 3000 tons (2720 tonnes) of municipal solid waste per day to produce 80 MW of electricity. The facility recently installed a metals recycling system designed to recover very small particles of non-ferrous metal. (see WMW story) Covanta Marion, located in Brooks, Oregon serves the 275,000 citizens of Marion County. The company said that the facility is a key component to the county's successful integrated solid waste disposal system, processing approximating 550 tons (500 tonnes) of waste per day to produce 13 MW of electricity. A fishy story In addition to collecting a full complement of awards, Covanta has also recently has added Newburyport, Massachusetts to the participants for its Fishing for Energy program - partnership which provides commercial fishermen a cost free way to dispose of old and unusable fishing gear. The company said that the gear collected from local commercial fishermen will be hauled and stripped of metals for recycling with the help of Schnitzer Steel, with the remainder being used to generate energy at the company's Haverhill facility. As part of the program a collection bin has been placed at the Harbormaster's Office and Dock in Newburyport. "Newburyport not only has a commercial fishing fleet that brings in derelict equipment, but because of our location on the coast and at the mouth of the Merrimack River we see a lot of traffic and debris," explained Newburyport Harbormaster, paul Hogg. "We received our 30 yard bin in mid-July and by the end of the month had already filled it," he added. Fishing for Energy is a partnership between Covanta Energy, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marine Debris Program, and Schnitzer Steel Industries. According to the partners the program significantly increases the likelihood that derelict gear does not end up in the marine environment. Read More 95 MW Covanta Waste to Energy Plant Closes in On ROC Eligibility Covanta Energy's proposed 95 MW waste to energy project at Ince Park, near Chester has received preliminary accreditation under the Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance programme. Covanta to Offer 300 TPD Commercial Gasification System Covanta Energy has completed commercial testing of the 'first-of-its-kind' modular gasification technology that it plans to offer to its clients. Maine Waste to Energy Plant to be Demolished as Casella Sells to City Rutland, Vermont based waste and recycling company, Casella Waste Systems has signed a purchase and sale agreement to off-load its Maine Energy Recovery Company to the City of Biddeford. Free Magazine Subscription Free Email Newsletter