Covanta signs new agreement with Pennsylvania county

Covanta, a sustainable waste and energy solutions provider headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, announced a new agreement with the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority (DCSWA) in Media, Pennsylvania, for sustainable waste disposal at the Covanta Delaware Valley energy-from-waste (EfW) facility located in Chester, Pennsylvania. The new five-year agreement, which includes extension provisions, continues a 25-year partnership between Covanta and Delaware County.

Delaware County generates approximately 360,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually. Residue from the EfW process will continue to be beneficially reused as daily cover at the county's landfill.

Since 1992, Covanta Delaware Valley has provided reliable and sustainable waste management to municipalities in Delaware County and neighboring communities. The facility converts up to 3,500 tons of municipal solid waste per day into 80 megawatts of renewable energy—enough to power 70,000 homes continuously. The facility also recycles more than 35,000 tons of metal annually.

During its 25 years of operation, the facility has:

• saved more than 200 acres of land from landfilling;
• reduced net greenhouse gas emissions by 25 million tons, the equivalent of removing nearly five million passenger vehicles from the road for one year;
• recovered 750,000 tons of metals for recycling, equivalent to the steel that would be used to build nearly 10 Ben Franklin Bridges in Philadelphia; and
• generated 15 million megawatt hours of electricity, the equivalent of powering more than 1.3 million homes for one year.

"The DCSWA has developed an award-winning waste management system that includes EfW for any residual waste that remains after recycling," says Joey Neuhoff, vice president and general manager of Covanta's Mid-Atlantic region. "We are proud of our contributions to provide safe, reliable waste disposal and a source of clean energy and look forward to serving the community for many years to come."

Covanta Delaware Valley has been designated a Voluntary Protection Program Star facility by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in recognition of excellent workplace health and safety practices.