FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 21, 2009

Contact: Thom Metzger, 202-364-3751

(Washington, DC) – As America celebrates the 39th annual Earth Day, the nation’s solid waste industry says it plans to continue investing hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, create additional renewable sources of energy to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels, and continue expanding the amount of recyclables that it processes.

“The solid waste industry has long moved beyond simply collecting trash. We are leaders in responding to the most pressing environmental concerns of the day, including addressing climate change and developing new sources of renewable energy,” said Bruce Parker, president and CEO of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), which represents the private sector solid waste industry in the United States.

“Today, just about every waste collector is examining its fleet of trucks to conserve energy. That includes working with manufacturers to develop more fuel efficient, cleaner-burning vehicles powered with alternative fuels and using hybrid engines,” said Parker. Hybrid technology is particularly promising for garbage trucks because of their stop-and-go nature.

“The industry has for years invested in trucks fueled by liquefied natural gas, ultra-low sulfur fuel and other low-emission fuels. Now, many operators are looking to alternative fuels like biodiesel and even methane gas from landfills to run their trucks,” said Parker. Both alternative fuel and hybrid trucks have been used in many cities, including San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Fort Worth and Denver.

Waste companies are also using routing software and GPS systems to make routes more efficient, regularly checking tire pressure, and being vigilant about routine maintenance in order to make fleets more efficient than ever before, said Parker.

“With more than 130,000 total trucks collecting waste and recyclables in U.S. cities, these efforts combined will significantly reduce greenhouse emissions and improve air quality,” he noted.

In addition to reducing the impact of its fleet, waste management companies continue to pioneer technologies that turn trash into sources of clean, renewable energy. The industry currently operates 470 landfill-gas-to-energy projects, providing electricity and heat for corporate and government users in 44 states. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified another 520 landfills as potential candidates for similar energy projects.

“Landfill-gas-to-energy projects address global warming by capturing methane, which is a greenhouse gas,” Parker noted.

The EPA estimates that using methane as renewable, “green” energy brings environmental and energy benefits equivalent to eliminating the CO2 emissions of 195 million barrels of oil a year. The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has noted that landfill-gas recovery directly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Recycling and composting offer another greenhouse-reduction success story. The industry recycled or composted slightly more than one third of all municipal solid wastes in 2007, conserving precious resources, protecting air and water from potential pollution and leading to a 2.5 percent reduction in America’s total greenhouse gas emissions

“The solid waste industry is proud of its environmental achievements, but we’re not sitting on our laurels. Independent research determined that between 1974 and 1997, greenhouse gas emissions from solid waste and recycling declined by 78 percent, even while waste generation increased by 70 percent. Our collective efforts have made a difference, and we continue to raise the bar,” said Parker.

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NSWMA – a sub-association of the Environmental Industry Associations – represents for-profit companies in North America that provide solid, hazardous and medical waste collection, recycling and disposal services, and companies that provide professional and consulting services to the waste services industry. For more information about how America’s solid waste management professionals are serving as environmental health and safety stewards, protecting our environment and serving our communities, please visit http://www.everydayenvironmentalists.org/environmentalists.