Lancaster Waste-To-Energy Facility Processes 10 Million Tons Of Municipal Solid Waste Into Clean Energy

Bainbridge, PA /PRNewswire/ -- Covanta and the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) are celebrating the processing of 10 million tons of municipal solid waste – the equivalent to over 600 football fields filled 10 feet deep – at the Lancaster Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Facility.

LCSWMA's Lancaster WTE Facility, which Covanta designed, built and has operated since 1991, primarily serves the sustainable waste management needs of Lancaster County, with the capacity to process 1,200 tons of municipal solid waste per day to produce enough renewable energy to power over 20,000 homes continuously. In addition to processing 10 million tons since start-up, the facility has:

• Produced 5.6 million megawatt-hours of electricity, enough to supply all of the homes in the City of Lancaster for over 21 years
• Recovered 180,000 tons of ferrous metal for recycling, equivalent to over two Golden Gate Bridges
• Offset the equivalent greenhouse emissions of over 1.9 million passenger cars on the road for one year

The Lancaster WTE Facility has also been recognized as a Star worksite in the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP Star status is the highest honor given to worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems.

"Almost 30 years ago LCSWMA made the smart decision to invest in an integrated waste management system that also provides clean, renewable energy to its community," said Joey Neuhoff, vice president and general manager of Covanta's mid-Atlantic region. "The milestone of processing 10 million tons shows that their investment is paying off and will continue to provide important benefits to the community for many years to come."

"We are proud of this big milestone and would like to thank Covanta for their excellent partnership in operating our facility for almost 27 years," says Jim Warner, LCSWMA CEO. "Together, we are truly transforming waste into a resource for this community."

About LCSWMA

LCSWMA is recognized nationally for its leadership in the solid waste industry and its innovative Integrated System that manages over 960,000 tons of waste each year using the following assets: (1) a Transfer Station permitted to handle up to 2,200 tons per day; (2) a 1,200 tons per day mass burn Waste-to-Energy Facility in Lancaster and 800 tons per day mass burn Waste-to-Energy Facility in Harrisburg for the combustion of waste and production of electricity; (3) the Frey Farm Landfill, permitted for disposal of 3,000 tons of waste per day; (4) a county-wide recycling program; and (5) drive-through Household Hazardous Waste Facility. LCSWMA's mission to "manage waste as a resource to protect and benefit our community". Learn more at www.lcswma.org.

About Covanta

Covanta is a world leader in providing sustainable waste and energy solutions. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely convert approximately 20 million tons of waste from municipalities and businesses into clean, renewable electricity to power one million homes and recycle approximately 550,000 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.