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Forum Discusses Ways Ohio Can Boost Use of Energy from Waste
The American Chemistry Council (ACC), Washington, D.C., and the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC), Columbus, Ohio, co-hosted a policy forum Sept. 20, 2012, that brought together state officials and business leaders to highlight the growth in recycling as well as innovations and investments in energy recovery in Ohio. The forum was held at Rumpke Recycling’s material recovery facility in Columbus, Ohio.

Jack Pounds, president of the OCTC, told attendees of the forum that Ohio is a world leader in plastics manufacturing and technologies, but the amount of plastics that are going to make their way into the landfill—90 percent by some estimates—is unacceptable.

“We consider that as an industry as a failure on many fronts,” he said.

Russell Cooper, vice president of business development for Vadxx Energy, Akron, Ohio, told attendees, “The polymer is all around us, we just have to think about the public policy and good business ideas to bring it to these energy developing facilities.”

Cooper was part of a panel of representatives from Ohio companies that have invested in new technologies that transform waste into energy. The panel also included Vexor Technology of Medina and RES Polyflow of Akron.

RES Polyflow has been able to take advantage of state programs to help move its technology forward. “With the help of the Ohio Third Frontier, RES Polyflow is building our first production processor that will be demonstrating at 5,000 pounds per hour a solution to this polymer opportunity we are blessed with,” said Jay Shabel, CEO, RES Polyflow.

One of the issues Shabel brought up was the need for Ohio to classify RES Polyflow’s transportation fuel—which he estimated will be produced at a rate of 3 million gallons of per year—as a renewable fuel source.

“Ohio’s energy entrepreneurs are on the cutting edge of investments in energy recovery, and their story of innovation and homegrown energy should be retold in communities all across the country,” said Cal Dooley, president and CEO of the ACC.

“Energy recovery in the United States holds the potential to power homes and businesses and can help address our growing population’s challenges of energy independence and waste diversion,” he added.

“Today’s event showcased innovators in our state, like Vexor Technology, Vadxx Energy and RES Polyflow, who are helping to drive job growth and sustainable energy production in communities like Columbus, Medina and Akron,” said Pounds. “Ohio’s success in generating energy from waste is possible by companies investing in these new technologies, which are already reducing waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills, as well as forward-thinking policy makers and supportive local governments in Ohio.”

The policy forum was part of ACC’s campaign titled, “From Chemistry to Energy.” More information is available at http://chemistrytoenergy.com.

Watch the video: Video coverage from the event is available at www.REWmag.com/ohio-forum-energy-recovery-video.aspx.

Hurricane Relief

Alternative Fuels Being Rerouted to New Jersey
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has temporarily eased biofuel delivery rules at East Coast shipping facilities to relieve the fuel shortage in New Jersey caused by Superstorm Sandy. U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both of New Jersey, requested the easement in a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Because of damaged fuel terminals in New Jersey, millions of gallons of biofuels are currently unable to reach the state. But with the EPA decision, fuel can now be transported by train to other facilities on the East Coast, such as Baltimore, and then shipped to New Jersey.

“We need to get fuel flowing into New Jersey, and the EPA’s decision to allow fuel to be rerouted to New Jersey is an important step toward getting our state moving again,” Lautenberg and Menendez say in a joint statement. “The fuel shortage and power outages at gas stations are holding our state back from a full recovery. We will continue working to do everything possible to get our first responders and all New Jerseyans moving again.”

In the days following the storm, the two senators called on President Obama to dispatch supplies of gasoline and fuel and to ramp up federal efforts to restore power to gas stations and provide federal assistance with the investigation of gas price gouging claims.

Anaerobic Digestion

Michigan Community Celebrates Startup of Anaerobic Digester
Supporters and government officials celebrated the startup of the $22 million Fremont Community Digester (FCD) plant, in Freemont, Mich., Oct. 10. FCD produces electric power by processing organic waste.

“Fremont Community Digester is a great example of how innovative Michigan businesses and West Michigan agriculture are partnering to develop new clean energy, which will create new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, during the ceremony.

Stabenow was joined by Fremont Mayor James Ryneberg; Michigan State Rep. Jon Bumstead (R-Newaygo); Michigan State Sen. Goeff Hansen (R-Hart); U.S. Department of Agriculture State Director James Turner; North Central Cooperative Senior Manager Rob Zeldenrust; Indus Energy representative Arvin Shah; and Novi Energy President Anand Gangadharan, in cutting a ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the startup of the renewable biomass-fueled power plant.

Novi Energy developed and is managing the FCD facility, which will convert 100,000 tons per year of food processing organic wastes into 3 megawatts of renewable electricity for sale to Consumers Energy under a long-term contract approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission. The FCD is nearing completion of construction and is scheduled to enter commercial operation by the fourth quarter of 2012. Debt financing of the $22 million project, from Comerica Bank, was supported by a $12.8 million USDA Biorefinery 9003 loan guarantee.

“Fremont is the first step in what we expect will be a series of anaerobic digesters to be developed in the United States and elsewhere in the world, producing renewable, sustainable electricity from organic waste to improve our environment and diversify our renewable electricity supply,” said Novi Energy’s Gangadharan. Novi Energy, based in Novi, Mich., is the developer and manager of the Fremont project.

FCD is the first large-scale anaerobic digester in the United States that will take organic waste from multiple waste streams, including food processing wastes as well as agricultural wastes, according to Novi Energy. It digests these wastes in enclosed tanks to produce biogas, which will fuel two reciprocating engine-generators to produce base load renewable electricity.

Biomass

Terrabon Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Terrabon, a Houston-based bioenergy company, has filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7 of the federal bankruptcy laws. Under Chapter 7, a company’s operations cease and a trustee is tasked with liquidating the company’s assets for the benefit of creditors.

Gary Luce, Terrabon CEO, said, “It is with great disappointment we announce Terrabon has been unable to obtain additional financing and must suspend operations. This is a sad day for Terrabon’s employees, partners, suppliers and vendors, who never wavered from their robust support of our company and the technology we deeply believe in. We want to thank them and convey how deeply we appreciate their steadfast loyalty during our journey to become an additional source of alternative energy for the United States.”

Terrabon’s MixAlco technology was designed to convert nonfood, nonsterile biomass into renewable drop-in transportation fuels, such as gasoline and jet fuel. Terrabon failed to secure a second line of funding that would have allowed the company to scale up its operations.

While the company had successful pilot projects with a number of consumers, the inability to land funding in a recent round of financing to finish developing and engineering its first commercial-scale plant forced it to liquidate, Terrabon said.

Biomass

Bourne’s Energy to Open Biofuel Blending Facility
Bourne’s Energy, Morrisville, Vt., has announced the grand opening of the first local biofuel blending plant in the central Vermont area. Bourne’s Energy was awarded a $45,000 grant through the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund to support the development of an injection-blending operation for biodiesel, allowing it to supply B5, B10, B20 and B99.9 blends of fuel on demand. Bourne says biodiesel use reduces pollution from vehicles and from home and commercial heating.

“We’ve been working closely with farmers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders for a number of years to increase the local production and local use of biofuels in Vermont,” says Netaka White, bioenergy program director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF). “Bourne’s Energy continues to be a leader in their field by helping Vermont homes and businesses become more energy efficient and helping them move toward cleaner and greener heating and transportation fuels.

“These biofuel blending plants will do more to put renewable, low-emission biodiesel into more homes and vehicles than any other investment VSJF has made towards Vermont biofuel infrastructure,” White continues. “This is a great new opportunity for Vermonters to experience the ‘biodiesel difference’, with a high quality biofuel blend, made locally from recycled cooking oils and mixed in this state-of-the-art facility.”

Liz Miller, Vermont Department of Public Service commissioner, says increasing biofuel use in the state supports greater energy independence and lower emissions. “A great deal of the biodiesel now consumed in Vermont is used for transportation purposes in heavy-duty vehicles, such as buses, commercial trucks and off-road agricultural equipment. Bourne’s customers also currently use biodiesel blended with heating oil (typically a B5 blend) to meet a portion of the state’s thermal needs.”

She adds, “Bourne’s facility is a great development. It will offer Vermonters a way to conveniently access these fuels and easily reduce their pollution contribution. This is very promising for the continuing increase we hope to see in biodiesel use.”

Conferences & Events

Waste-to-Fuels Conference Panelists Define Objectives
Siting is generally the most difficult part of a biogas project, according to Kevin Matthews of CCI BioEnergy, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. He advised attendees of the 2012 Waste-to-Fuels Conference & Trade Show who are considering anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies to be truthful about the possibility for odor and to design facilities so that it is managed at all stages. Matthews was part of a panel on AD conversion technologies at the conference, which was Sept. 16-18 in Groton, Conn.

Also speaking on the panel were John McDowell of Eisenmann, Crystal Lake, Ill., who outlined a future biogas plant installation in Chicago, and Amber Blythe of BIOFerm Energy Systems, Madison, Wis., who provided details about a biogas plant in operation at the University of Wisconsin.

CCI BioEnergy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada Composting Inc. and holds the exclusive Canadian and U.S. license rights to an AD technology known as “The BTA® Process.” CCI BioEnergy acts as the operator of the technology and gets paid based on production results, Matthews said. Currently, the company is involved with three plants in Canada, including the Toronto Dufferin facility, which has been in operation for 10 years, the Toronto Disco facility, which will be operational in 2013, and a plant in Newmarket, Ontario. At 100,000 tons per year, the Dufferin facility is operating at three times its designed capacity, Matthews said.

The city of Toronto generates 150,000 tons per year of source-separated organics, he said. When the Disco plant is completed, it will process 75,000 tons of material, while Dufferin will process 60,000 tons. The remaining 15,000 tons of material will go to a third-party for processing, Matthews said.

The BTA Process produces compost, pipeline-grade gas and electrical generation from the organic material. He said that for every 1 metric ton of waste the system processed, it produced 115 cubic meters of biogas, 65 percent of which was methane, and 0.31 metric tons of digestate.

Eisenmann’s McDowell described the biogas plant his company is supplying to The Plant, which calls a 93,500-square-foot former meat packing facility home. Eisenmann supplies regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) to the renewable fuels industry in addition to supplying a variety of renewable energy products and waste-to-energy solutions.

The organic material for the renewable energy system will come from agriculture, food processing facilities, restaurants, yard waste and grass clippings and waste management facilities, McDowell said. Construction on the biogas plant was expected to begin by the end of 2012.

The BioFerm biogas plant installed at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh is a dry ferment system, according Blythe, capable of processing 8,000 tons of agricultural or source-separated organics per year and producing 370 kilowatts of electricity and with a thermal capacity of 495 kilowatts. It features four fermentation vessels and began operation in summer of 2011.

Blythe said the university estimates the plant will provide up to 10 percent of the campus’ electricity needs.

In the pursuit of AD technology, Matthews advised attendees, “Success is all about managing expectations.” He reminded attendees that not all waste was the same, nor were all AD processes.”

Landfill gas

Waste Management Breaks Ground on Gas-to-Electricity Project at Ohio Landfill
Waste Management Inc. (WM), headquartered in Houston, has broken ground on a gas-to-electricity facility at its Mahoning landfill in New Springfield, Ohio.

The company expects the construction facility to be complete by the end of 2012. When the system is operational, WM says the gas-to-electricity facility will generate around 4.8 megawatts of electricity per year. Currently, the company creates enough energy to power 1.1 million homes, and it is looking to double that amount to 2 million megawatts by 2020.

Methane gas, produced in the 240-acre landfill, will be channeled into engines that are used to create electricity. The electricity generated at Waste Management Mahoning Landfill will be sold back to the electrical grid. The company has a partnership arrangement with the city of Oberlin, Ohio, on the electricity.

“Creating this facility ensures that the waste we generate will be converted into a beneficial use,” says Jerry Ross, senior district manager of Waste Management Mahoning landfill. “By investing in landfill-gas-to-energy, we are developing renewable ‘green’ energy to power homes.”

WM owns or operates more than 130 landfill-gas-to-energy facilities in North America. The company provides integrated waste management services, including recycling, to clients in North America.

Legal Issues

Judge Orders Harrisburg, Pa., to Suspend Payments on Incinerator
A Pennsylvania judge ordered the city of Harrisburg, Pa., Aug. 27 to suspend debt service payments on its incinerator and to implement a 1 percent tax hike, according to a report from Reuters.

William Lynch, an attorney for Harrisburg’s state-appointed receiver, reportedly said during a court hearing that the city would be $500,000 in the hole if it made a $3.4 million debt service payment due in September.

Commonwealth Court Judge Bonnie Leadbetter ruled that the city should not make any further debt payments until further notice on its waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, which the Reuters report says contributed to the city’s $320 million debt.

Leadbetter also ordered the city council to enact a 1 percent hike on residents’ earned income within 15 days. The temporary increase is effective immediately upon implementation for at least one year. The revenue is to fund essential city services only.

Transportation fuels

MagneGas Lands Business with Florida Scrap Metal Recycler
MagneGas Corp., which has developed technology that converts liquid waste into a hydrogen-based metal working fuel and natural gas alternative, has announced that Capital Scrap Metal LLC, based in Deerfield, Fla., has taken its first order of MagneGas. The recycler plans to use the fuel at both of its Florida operations. MagneGas, based in Tampa, Fla., will supply Capital Scrap through its Cut-it Up Gas & Supply distributor, located in Cocoa, Fla.

“We are very pleased with the performance of MagneGas,” says Sean Harrigan, Capital Scrap operations manager. “I am confident to say that after a one-week trial of their fuel, MagneGas has gained a customer for life.”

Ermanno Santilli, CEO of MagneGas, says, “Customers, new and old, continue to see the added benefits of using MagneGas over other fuels throughout their metal cutting operations. As we continue to successfully execute on our growth strategy, we are excited to provide another satisfied customer such as Capital Scrap Metal with our innovative fuel.”

Mass burn

Covanta Completes Expansion of Hawaii Facility
Morristown, N.J.-based Covanta Energy Corp. has completed the expansion of the H-Power Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facility, owned by the city and county of Honolulu. Covanta Energy designed, built and operates the facility, which is considered a key component of Honolulu’s solid waste management program.

The expansion project added a third boiler, which increases the facility’s capacity by 900 tons of municipal solid waste per day, bringing its daily capacity to 3,000 tons. The addition of the boiler also allows Covanta to process all of the island’s post-recycled municipal solid waste at the facility, according to the company. The expansion will enable the facility to produce about 90 megawatts of renewable energy—close to 8 percent of Oahu’s total power needs, the company says.

“Covanta is proud of our successful partnership with the city and county of Honolulu,” Seth Myones, Covanta executive vice president and COO, says. “The completed third boiler marks three years of hard work by the Covanta team and celebrates the innovative thinking of the city and county in making the decision to move forward with this expansion.”

The completed expansion project marks the commencement of Covanta’s new 20-year operating agreement with the city and county of Honolulu. Covanta began operating the H-Power facility in 1990.

Since opening the H-Power facility, Covanta has processed more than 13 million tons of waste—reducing the need for 15 million barrels of imported oil—and recovered 450,000 tons of metals for recycling.

Transportation fuels

EPA Sets Bio-Based Diesel Volumes for 2013
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken action to establish the amount of biodiesel products required to be included in diesel fuel markets in 2013.

Bio-based diesel products are advanced biofuels derived from sources that include vegetable oils and wastes oils from renewable sources.

EPA’s action sets the 2013 volume at 1.28 billion gallons under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, which established the second phase of the Renewable Fuel Standards program. EISA specifies a 1 billion gallon minimum volume requirement for the biomass-based diesel category for 2012 and beyond.

“This action, which meets goals designated by Congress, is another step that strengthens America’s energy security by reducing dependence on foreign oil,” says EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

EISA also calls on the EPA to increase the volume requirements after consideration of environmental, market and energy-related factors. This final action follows the review of the comments and additional information received since EPA proposed the volume in 2011, according to the agency.

Biomass

Enova Energy Group to Build Three Wood Pellet Projects
Enova Energy Group LLC has announced a plan to build three projects to produce wood pellets that will be used as a renewable fuel for exports to Europe.

The projects will be built in Georgia and South Carolina.

The company, headquartered in Atlanta, created a subsidiary, Enova Wood Pellet Group LLC, to develop and operate the three new projects.

Enova Wood Pellet Group LLC will have a dedicated management team solely focused on the wood pellet industry, the company says.

According to Enova, by 2014 each of the facilities will produce 450,000 metric tons per year of pellets, for a total of 1.35 million metric tons.

The pellets will be exported out of Savannah, Ga., to various consumers in the European Union under long-term contracts.

The wood pellet projects are expected to cost $330 million. Enova says it will meet 80 percent of this cost with debt.

Landfill gas

Republic Services, Clean Energy Sign Biomethane Agreement
Republic Services Inc., Phoenix, has announced an agreement to recover landfill gas from its North Shelby Landfill in Millington, Tenn., for multiple uses, including as a vehicle fuel for its growing natural gas-powered fleet.

The agreement with Clean Energy Renewable Fuels (www.cleanenergyfuels.com, CERF), a wholly owned subsidiary of Clean Energy Fuels Corp., Seal Beach, Calif., is the second of its kind. Another facility at Republic’s Sauk Trails Landfill in Canton, Mich., was due to come online in September 2012.

CERF will build the high-Btu plant to process landfill gas, a natural byproduct of decomposition, and inject it into the U.S. natural gas network. The gas may be compressed and distributed for a variety of different uses, including vehicle fuel and as renewable power for other industrial use customers. During the first year of operation, the plant is anticipated to produce approximately 4 million diesel gallon equivalents of renewable natural-gas fuel annually, which could fuel approximately 260 trucks for one year, the companies say. Production is expected to steadily increase to more than 5.7 million diesel gallon equivalents annually during the first 10 years of operations. Production is expected to begin in late 2013.

“This relationship allows us to make the highest and best use of the energy potential in our landfills,” says Brian Bales, executive vice president of business development for Republic Services.

“We are delighted to again partner with Republic for production of sustainable renewable natural gas,” says Andrew J. Littlefair, Clean Energy president and CEO. “This project will help Clean Energy achieve its goal of supplying renewable natural gas fuel to an increasing number of natural-gas vehicles operating across America.”

Natural gas derived from landfill biogas generates up to 88 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel fuel or gasoline, according to Republic.

Innovations

Covanta, Tartech Target Ash Monofills
The waste management and renewable energy firm Covanta Energy Corp., Morristown, N.J., has announced a new joint venture with Germany-based Tartech Eco Industries AG. The joint venture, Covanta Tartech LLC, aims to target the recovery and recycling of metals from energy-from-waste (EfW) ash monofills in North America.

Covanta Tartech says it will use a highly specialized technology provided by Tartech for recovering metals remaining in EfW facility ash that has been deposited in monofills. The technology is designed to maximize the recovery of ferrous and nonferrous metals for recycling.

“Following an extensive review of our options to recover more metal for recycling from our operations, we are thrilled to be partnering with Tartech,” says Seth Myones, COO of Covanta Energy. “Their breakthrough technology, combined with Covanta’s know-how, will deliver a high-quality metal product that can now be recycled instead of being lost in a monofill.”

The joint venture will develop projects at Covanta ash monofills and will look to partner with other municipal and commercial ash monofill owners.

“We are excited about this joint venture and confident that we will add significant value for any ash monofill owner that chooses to work with us,” says Alexander Kalckreuth, Tartech CEO. “The key to recovering metals from ash monofills will be to properly prepare the material using our highly specialized technology. With Covanta’s market presence as a world leading energy-from-waste company and operational expertise, they are the perfect partner for us,” Kalckreuth adds.

In 2011, Covanta says its 41 EfW facilities in North America recovered more than 400,000 tons of ferrous and more than 15,000 tons of nonferrous metal for recycling. With the new partnership, Covanta says it will recover even more metal that was previously unrecoverable at EfW facilities and will avoid adding to the volume of material being deposited in ash monofills.

Recovering these important metal resources will significantly extend the life of ash monofills, according to Covanta.

Legislation and Regulations

California Paint Stewardship Program Takes Effect
The California Paint Stewardship Program requiring paint manufacturers to develop a take-back system for leftover paint took effect Oct. 19. The program, targeted at household and commercial consumers of paint, was established by a new law, AB 1343 (2010), introduced by California State Assembly Member Jared Huffman.

Paint manufacturers, through the American Coatings Association, created PaintCare, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, to administer the state programs. The nonprofit will arrange for recycling and proper disposal of unused paint and conduct public education about proper paint management.

Funding for the program will come from a recovery fee that will be applied to the purchase price of paint sold in California and paid to PaintCare.

PaintCare will use the fees to pay for the transportation of leftover paint from partnering drop-off sites to processors for recycling and energy recovery. More details are available at www.paintcare.org.

International

SITA UK to Supply Solid Recovered Fuel to Latvian Cement Plant
United Kingdom-based waste management and recycling firm SITA UK has signed a three-year contract to supply 180,000 metric tons of solid recovered fuel to the Latvia-based operations of cement producer Cemex, headquarterd in Monterrey, Mexico.

SITA UK says the fuel to be marketed will be produced by processing residual commercial waste in the company’s new facility at Ridham Docks in Kent, U.K. Once processed, the solid recovered fuel material will be used as a fossil-fuel replacement at Cemex’ cement production facility in Broceni, Latvia.

Andy Hill, SITA UK organics and alternative solid fuels manager, says, “We have invested over £6 million (US$9.7 million) developing a new processing facility to produce and bale solid recovered fuel at Ridham (Docks). This brand new, purpose-built facility was commissioned in August, and we are sending our first shipment to Latvia in September.”

The new facility is expected to process up to 50 metric tons of material per hour, SITA UK says. The company notes that its Ridham Docks location will allow it to load bales directly onto vessels, reducing its transportation costs. SITA UK says it has a one-year trans-frontier shipment permit to export the solid recovered fuel to Cemex in Latvia.

Enrique Garcia, CEO of Cemex in Latvia, says, “The usage of alternative fuels is an integral part of our sustainable development strategy.”

Installations and startups

Cleveland Airport Implements Cooking Oil Recycling Program
Airport concession developer Airmall USA, operator of the Airmall at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), Cleveland, has partnered with Bradford Airport Logistics, Houston, to implement a solution for recycling waste cooking oil from tenants in the airport’s concession program.

Through the program, Bradford worked with Airmall to install a system of customized retrieval carts that collect the waste cooking oil from the fryers of airport concessionaires. The oil is recycled into products such as animal feed, soap, or B-100 biofuel for vehicles.

“Airmall has always been at the forefront of adopting innovative ideas and technologies for the airport concessions industry,” says Tina LaForte, vice president of Airmall Cleveland. “Working with Bradford Airport Logistics to implement the new grease recycling program at CLE is another example of how the Airmall strives to be a leader in airport concessions operations,” she adds.

In addition to the numerous environmental benefits, Bradford says its waste oil retrieval system helps eliminate worker safety concerns related to potential spills and leaks caused during the transport and storage of waste cooking oils.

“We’re delighted to see an innovative and environmentally friendly solution like the grease collection system become a part of our concessions operations,” says Airport Director Ricky Smith. “This is an example of how an otherwise time-consuming and cumbersome process can be turned into a practical solution that benefits both the environment and our concessions program,” Smith says.

Airmall at CLE features 57 distinct units. In addition to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Airmall also is the developer and manager of the retail, food and beverage operations at Pittsburgh International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport (Terminals B and E) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Legislation and regulations

New Jersey Applauds Covanta’s Installation of Air Emissions Equipment
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin has issued a statement regarding a final agreement among Covanta Energy Corp., the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New York City that will result in installation of air-emissions-reduction technology at Covanta’s Essex County Resource Recovery Facility in Newark.

“Improving the quality of New Jersey’s air is a top environmental priority of the Christie administration,” states Martin. “I commend Covanta, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New York City for working as partners with the DEP to reach this important agreement, which sets an aggressive schedule for the installation of state-of-the-art baghouse technology that will significantly improve emissions from the facility and improve the quality of air in New Jersey’s largest city. This is a milestone for clean air and a win for the residents of Newark,” he adds.

Covanta had earlier signed a lease through 2032 with the Port Authority and a 20-year municipal solid waste contract with New York City to enable Covanta’s investment in operational improvements. The upgrades will include the installation of a particulate emissions control system on each of the facility’s three combustion units as well as a new recycling system that will recover more ferrous and nonferrous metals from residual ash. The facility complies with all environmental permits, and its control of air emissions will be further improved with the baghouse installation, the company says.

Mass Burn

Wheelabrator Technologies Lands Contract with Florida County
Wheelabrator Technologies, West Hampton, N.H., has been awarded an exclusive five-year contract to handle the waste management needs of Broward County, Fla.

The agreement, effective July 2013, extends Wheelabrator’s relationship with Broward County. Wheelabrator converts 4,500 tons of solid waste into renewable energy on a daily basis in the county.

The Broward County Commission also approved an inter-local agreement (ILA) that allows Broward County cities to receive solid waste disposal under the same terms and conditions. Also, municipalities can arrange for the county to manage administrative functions associated with the solid waste disposal process, including code enforcement, centralized billing, flow control and delinquent account collection, among others.

“We are pleased and honored that Broward County chose to extend our mutually beneficial partnership,” says Wheelabrator Vice President of Operations Bill Roberts. “Combined with waste reduction and aggressive recycling, Broward’s waste-to-energy process recovers 30,000 tons of metal annually and provides a reliable and environmentally sound long-term trash solution.”

Anaerobic Digestion

SITA UK Granted Permission to Build AD Plant
SITA UK has received approval by the Warwickshire County Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee to develop an anaerobic digestion facility at SITA UK’s Packington site near Meriden, Warwickshire, United Kingdom.

Michelle Spruth, planning manager at SITA UK, says, “We are delighted the County Planning Authority has agreed to permit the development of the anaerobic digestion facility. Warwickshire needs facilities like these to deal with the county’s waste in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way. We look forward to starting work.”

The proposed anaerobic digestion facility would treat 50,000 metric tons of municipal, industrial and commercial organic wastes, such as food and green garden waste.

The plans also include a proposal to have polytunnels operated by local growers for crops and flowers that will utilize the compost, liquid fertilizer and heat produced by the facility.

The application will now be referred to the secretary of state. SITA UK says it expects to start work on the facility in 2014.