Covanta touts transparency in Miami-Dade County

Morristown, New Jersey-based Covanta, a leader in sustainable materials management and a provider of environmental solutions benefitting businesses and communities across North America, has announced that emissions data is available to the public online for the Miami-Dade County Resources Recovery Facility in Doral, Florida, which every year processes 1 million tons of waste that would have otherwise gone to methane-producing landfills. The online information also is available in Spanish and Haitian-Creole.

With this information posted on the facility’s website, the Miami-Dade community has access to the same data that operators use to monitor operational performance at the waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, which serves county residents.

WTE facilities convert the waste that remains after recycling into electricity for homes and businesses. This technology diverts waste from landfills, which are a major source of methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

“By making this data readily available, we hope to provide the Miami and Doral communities with a feeling of confidence and pride, knowing that the waste being processed at the waste-to-energy facility is being [produced] sustainably and safely,” says Tequila Smith of Covanta, which operates the county-owned facility. “Furthermore, 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 is an important tool in determining a WTE facility’s compliance with the emissions limits set forth in its operating permit, which are established in accordance with the federal Clean Air Act and Florida’s regulatory requirements, the company says.

The Miami-Dade County facility has been recognized for exceptional operations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s stringent Voluntary Protection Program Star certification, and operates below the established permit’s emission limits, Covanta says.

“The Covanta Dade facility provides a vital service to our community and to our environment. Each year waste from county households and businesses is converted into enough continuous electricity to power 25,000 homes for one year. At the same time, we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 593,000 tons—the equivalent of taking 116,000 passenger vehicles off the road,” Miami-Dade County’s Michael Fernandez says. “The release of continuous data from Covanta demonstrates transparency and accountability for this sustainable solution.”

With 10 facilities across the state, Florida relies on WTE more than any other state in the nation for disposal of municipal solid waste. Combined, the facilities reduce GHG emissions by more than 6.5 million tons of carbon dioxide, Covanta says.