European Waste Industry Estimated to Generate 100 Billion Euros Annually
Research firm Frost & Sullivan estimates that 1.3 billion tons of waste is generated annually in the European Union (EU) and that powers a EUR100 billion municipal and hazardous waste industry. Ever stronger environmental laws have been the primary drivers of industry growth combined with a steadily improving economy. Starting with the 1975 Waste Regulation Legislation to the proposals for its revision in 2006 the EU has considered waste management to be an integral part of their environmental policy. Now the legislative focus is on waste prevention and minimization. Landfills are giving way to more expensive waste-to-energy incineration and recycling. More stringent soon to be implemented legislation will drive further growth and opportunity for waste management firms...Read More »
Canadians Expected to Discard 500 Million Batteries by 2010
A new study by Environment Canada concludes that Canadians will throw away 495 million batteries per year by 2010, up from 347 million in 2004. The consequence of this trend is ever higher levels of toxic wastes entering the waste stream. The report points to consumers' increasing use of electronic gadgets that use batteries. The batteries in turn, contain toxic substances such as lead and mercury...Read More »
Los Angeles to Turn Wastewater Sludge into Energy
The City of Los Angeles recently broke ground on an innovative renewable energy project. Touted as the first of its kind in the country, the project involves injecting biosolid wastes from the city's Terminal Island Water Reclamation Plant and injecting them into depleted oil and gas reservoirs more than a mile underground. There, high temperatures and pressure will compress the biosolids to generate methane gas that will in turn power fuel cells on the surface. The system is expected to cost from $3 to $4 million to build but is expected to pay handsome dividends. Once fully operational, it will produce 3.5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 3,000 homes; energy that is worth $2.4 million a year...Read More »
Sims Hugo Neu is pulling the Plug on Landfill Project in North Carolina
Faced with political opposition, Sims Hugo Neu is abandoning plans to construct a recycling facility and landfill in Navassa, NC., just west of Wilmington. State lawmakers have introduced legislation that seeks to wrest jurisdiction over the project away from the town in favor of the county and state. The town had courted the project in hopes of additional jobs and revenues. Last year, the state legislature passed a one-year moratorium on new landfill projects especially after environmental groups complained that North Carolina was on its way to becoming the fourth largest waste importing state...Read More »
Veolia ES Wins $21 Million Army Contract
Veolia ES Technical Solutions L.L.C. won a $21 million order as part of a $49 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army to handle hazardous waste disposal associated in Port Arthur, Texas...Read More »
Allied Waste to Report First Quarter Earnings on May 1
Allied Waste Industries said that it plans to report its financial results for the first quarter, ended March 31, at the close of the market on Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Management will host a conference call at 5 p.m. that day to discuss those results...Read More »
Allied Waste CEO Paid $8.7 Million in 2006
The Associated Press reports that Allied Waste Industries Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive John J. Zillmer received compensation in 2006 valued at $8.7 million, according to the waste management company's annual proxy statement. He received $869,125 in salary, $1.7 million in a non-equity incentive plan compensation and $184,313 in other compensation, including personal use of company aircraft, an automobile allowance and club dues. He also received restricted stock units and stock options in 2006 worth $6 million on the days Allied Waste granted them to him...Read More »
EPA Report Details Energy Use among Manufacturing Sectors
The U.S. EPA has released a report that addresses barriers to energy efficiency across different manufacturing sectors and suggests government policy options that might help industry. The report analyzes energy consumption trends and associated environmental impacts across each sector. Under a business-as-usual scenario, energy consumption across many of the sectors will increase by 20 percent from 2004 levels by 2020, and carbon dioxide emissions will increase by 14 percent...Read More »
SWANA Comments on Congressional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is eager that Congress should be well informed as it seeks to create a national greenhouse gas control program. SWANA submitted comments to Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on March 19. Among its recommendations, are that the program should recognize solid waste management practices which already have proven to reduce greenhouse gases. Furthermore, an effective program should be market based with financial incentives for energy recovery, recycling and pollution avoidance...Read More »
Republic Services to Report First Quarter Earnings on April 27
Republic Services will report its first quarter earnings and host a conference call live over the internet on Friday, April 27, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. EDT...Read More »
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