Covanta Partners with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Covanta, a world leader in sustainable waste and energy solutions, announced a new partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts designed to reduce emissions limits at two of its facilities and to enhance accountability by making continuous emissions tracking available online to the public.

Normally, new emission limits for an industry would need to go through a formal rule making process and would take several years to finalize. Covanta’s decision to do this voluntarily demonstrates its commitment to continuously improving operations while providing transparency for communities and stakeholders.

Waste-to-Energy facilities convert the waste that remains after recycling into electricity for homes and businesses. This technology is recognized internationally as a source of greenhouse gas mitigation because it diverts waste from landfills, a major source of methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Scientists have estimated that each ton of waste diverted from landfill to Waste-to-Energy facilities reduces life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by one ton.

The new Massachusetts limits apply to Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and air toxics, including lead, cadmium, mercury and dioxins at Covanta’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facilities in Haverhill, MA (Covanta Haverhill) and in West Wareham, MA (Southeastern Massachusetts (SEMASS) Resource Recovery Facility).

“We are proud to partner with the Commonwealth to help achieve lower limits expeditiously. This coupled with the release of our emissions data to the public online demonstrates our commitment to transparency and operational excellence,” said Derek Veenhof, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Covanta. “Waste-to-Energy facilities hold an important role in meeting the state’s climate goals, preventing waste from being buried in methane-producing landfills and reducing greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere that contributes to global warming.”

Following the lead of Covanta facilities in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, emissions data for Covanta’s Massachusetts Waste-to-Energy facilities is now accessible online.  This is the same data used by onsite operators to monitor operational performance of the company’s WTE facilities.

Continuous emissions monitoring is an important tool in determining a facility’s compliance with the strict emission limits set forth in its operating permit established in accordance with the federal Clean Air Act and the state’s strict regulatory requirements. Covanta’s Massachusetts’ facilities have a strong environmental record, operating below their permitted air limits.

Covanta’s Massachusetts facilities serve communities with reliable and sustainable waste management. Combined, Covanta Haverhill and Covanta SEMASS process over 1.7 million tons of waste annually, which is equivalent to avoiding more than 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases by keeping waste out of landfills.

About Covanta

Covanta is a world leader in providing sustainable waste and energy solutions. Annually, Covanta's modern Waste-to-Energy facilities safely convert approximately 21 million tons of waste from municipalities and businesses into clean, renewable electricity to power one million homes and recycle 600,000 tons of metal. Through a vast network of treatment and recycling facilities, Covanta also provides comprehensive industrial material management services to companies seeking solutions to some of today's most complex environmental challenges. For more information, visit covanta.com.