Florida relies on Trash-to-Energy more than any other state in the US for the safe and ecologically responsible disposal of municipal solid waste, with ten plants around the state.
Fremont, CA: Covanta is a pioneer in sustainable materials management, offering environmentally friendly solutions to organizations and communities throughout North America. Thanks to its network of facilities and cutting-edge services, Covanta is a single-source partner in addressing today's most complex environmental concerns.
Covanta stated that emissions data for the Miami-Dade County Resources Recovery Facility in Doral, Fla., which processes 1,000,000 tons of garbage that would otherwise have gone to methane-producing landfills, is now available to the public online. The material on the website is also available in Spanish and Haitian Creole.
The Miami-Dade community now has a free virtual seat in the control room to examine the same data that operators use to evaluate operational performance at the Trash-to-Energy facility, providing county residents with dependable and sustainable waste management. Garbage-to-Energy plants turn the waste left after recycling into power for households and businesses. This method diverts garbage from landfills, a significant source of methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more effective than carbon dioxide.
"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," said Michael Fernandez of Miami-Dade County. "The release of continuous data from Covanta demonstrates transparency and accountability for this sustainable solution."
Continuous emissions monitoring is a crucial tool in determining whether a Waste-to-Energy facility complies with the strict emission limits set forth in its operating permit, established in accordance with the federal Clean Air Act and Florida's stringent regulatory requirements. The Dade factory has continually been recognized for outstanding operations, including OSHA's strict Voluntary Protection Program Star accreditation, and works within the set permit's emission limitations.
Florida relies on Trash-to-Energy more than any other state in the US for the safe and ecologically responsible disposal of municipal solid waste, with ten plants around the state. The facilities collectively lower greenhouse gas emissions by over 6.5 million tons of CO2. In addition, the facilities recycle 212,00 tons of metal every year, which is enough to manufacture 156,000 automobiles.
