Waste Management Opens Mich. Landfill Gas Unit

Waste Management has opened a new landfill gas-to-energy facility at its recycling and disposal operation in Orion, Mich.

In an agreement with DTE Energy, the power generated at the Eagle Valley recycling and disposal facility will go to homes in southeast Michigan. The facility is designed to generate 3.2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of 2,700 Michigan homes, Waste Management said in a press release.

"Creating this facility ensures the waste we generate will be converted into a beneficial use," said Chuck Cassie, senior district manager of Eagle Valley recycling and disposal facility, which is owned by Waste Management of Michigan. "In addition to already providing green energy to General Motors Lake Orion's manufacturing facility, we have further invested in landfill gas-to-energy by constructing this new renewable energy plant at Eagle Valley. Waste Management will continue to provide clean and renewable green energy in our community of Orion."

In addition to landfill gas-to-energy operations, Waste Management of Michigan's landfills also supply power to local businesses, including the General Motors assembly plant in Orion and a Ford Motor Co. stamping plant in Wayne County.

In addition they provide fuel for soybean dryers at a West Michigan business.

Waste Management currently owns or operates 132 landfill gas projects in North America. The company said it creates enough energy to power over one million homes, and it is looking to double that to two million by 2020.