Covanta makes emissions data available for its Tulsa waste-to-energy facility

Covanta, a provider of environmental services based in Morristown, New Jersey, has released emissions data to the public for the Covanta Tulsa waste-to-energy facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company says the site processes 311,000 tons of waste annually.  

According to Covanta, the Tulsa County community can view the same data that operators use to monitor operational performance at the facility, which serves county residents with sustainable waste management. Waste-to-energy facilities convert the waste left over from recycling into electricity for homes and businesses. Covanta says this technology diverts waste from landfills, a source of methane. 

“By making this data readily available, we hope to provide the communities of Tulsa County a feeling of confidence and pride knowing that the waste being processed at the waste-to-energy facility is being done so both sustainably and safely,” says Tequila Smith, chief sustainability officer of Covanta. “We hope the public comes to appreciate the positive contributions of waste-to-energy technology in terms of mitigating global warming, increasing recycling and moving us toward our climate goals.” 

Continuous emissions monitoring helps determine a waste-to-energy facility’s compliance with the strict emission limits outlined in its operating permit, established under the federal Clean Air Act and Oklahoma’s regulatory requirements. The Tulsa facility has been consistently recognized for its operations and operates below the established permit’s emission limits.  

“The Covanta Tulsa facility provides a vital service to our community and our environment,” Smith says. “Each year, waste from households and businesses is converted into over a billion pounds of steam, exported to local commercial operations to offset their fossil fuel use. At the same time, we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 267,000 tons." 

Covanta says as the only waste-to-energy facility in Oklahoma, the Tulsa facility plays a role in the safe and environmentally responsible disposal of municipal solid waste. The facility uniquely supports the local industry by supplying steam that would have otherwise been generated using fossil fuels and exporting enough additional electricity to power 1,000 homes a year. The facility also recycles 8,500 tons of metal annually.