Date: May 5, 2011
Source: Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc. (Houston, TX) is continuing to expand its organic waste recycling and conversion capabilities with the development of a new organics facility in Apopka, FL. The facility will be co-located with the company's Vista Landfill there and similar to another one, announced earlier this year, the company is developing that is also co-located with a landfill in Okeechobee, FL. The facilities will process yard, food and clean wood waste to create value added soil amendments and are part of company efforts to expand its organics recycling solutions and key to developing new, high value-added end markets for organic materials that will accelerate growth in that market across North America. Last year, Waste Management acquired a majority equity interest in Garick LLC, a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of organic lawn and garden products, which has served to expand Waste Management's organics recycling capabilities to over 1 million tons. The company has also invested in new and emerging technologies to convert organic energy into transportation fuels, and ultimately, petrochemicals and chemicals.
Earlier this month, Waste Management made an investment of an undisclosed amount in the Peninsula Compost Co., which owns and operates the Wilmington Organic Recycling Center (WORC) in Wilmington, Delaware. The WORC facility processes 250 to 300 tons of organic waste per day and claims to be the only fully operational and permitted in-vessel organics processing center in the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia area. According to the company, approximately 80 million tons of organic waste is generated in North America each year.
See also: "Waste Management Invests in Large Mid Atlantic Compost Operation," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20110503G.htm).
See also: "Waste Management Developing New Organics Facility in Florida," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20110118B.htm).
See also: "Harvest Power Raises $51.7 Million Series B Financing," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20110322D.htm).
See also: "Waste Management Expands Organic Recycling with Purchase of Garick LLC," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20100907E.htm).
See also: "Harvest Power Launches Food Waste Recycling in Vancouver," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20100427H.htm).
See also: "Waste Management Invests In Harvest Power to Expand Recycling and Energy from Waste," (www.wasteinfo.com/news/wbj20100126D.htm).
PRESS RELEASE
May 5, 2011
Waste Management to Develop New Organics Facility in Central Florida
Facility will process food, yard and clean demolition wood waste from Central Florida residents and businesses to create organic compost products
Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), today announced it is developing a new organics facility in Apopka, Florida. The facility will process yard, food and clean wood waste to create value added soil amendments.
"We want to extract the highest value possible from the materials we manage. Recycling organics through composting and the development of other technologies that may produce energy, transportation fuels or specialty chemicals enables us to generate more value from this specific material stream," said David McConnell, market area vice president for Waste Management. "With this facility, we will be able to offer customers dedicated organics processing capability as well as generate beneficially useful products such as nutrient-rich organic compost that can close the loop with local homes and businesses in Central Florida.
The Vista Landfill facility is part of Waste Management's expansion of its organics recycling solutions and key to developing new, high value-added end markets for organic materials and accelerating the growth of organics recycling across North America. Earlier this year, Waste Management announced the development of a new organics facility in Okeechobee, Florida. Last year, Waste Management acquired a majority equity interest in Garick LLC, a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of organic lawn and garden products, which has served to expand Waste Management's organics recycling capabilities to over 1 million tons. The company has also invested in new and emerging technologies to convert organic energy into transportation fuels, and ultimately, petrochemicals and chemicals.
The market for composting services is growing as consumers are increasingly demanding alternatives to conventional fertilizers for lawn and garden care, and municipalities and companies are seeking to increase the recycling of organic materials for beneficial use. Organic compost is considered a part of the green retail market, which has been growing at 20 percent annually.
North America generates over 80 million tons of organic waste each year. In the United States, approximately a third of municipal solid waste is organic, including food, yard and wood waste. Approximately 65 percent of yard waste and 2.5 percent of food waste collected in the United States is currently diverted from disposal.
ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is the largest residential recycler in North America as well as a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company's customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.
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