Waste Management's Petrolia landfill to produce renewable energy from
everyday garbage

    
    Landfill-gas-to-energy project to produce 3.2 megawatts of power - enough
    energy to power all the homes in Petrolia
    

PETROLIA, ON, Oct. 21 /CNW/ - Green energy will soon be helping to power homes across the area, following Waste Management's announcement to develop a gas-to-energy facility at the company's Petrolia Landfill.

When the facility is on-line, the landfill will generate up to 3.2 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power approximately 2,500 homes - more than all the homes in Petrolia. The site will consist of four engines, and is expected to be operational in the summer of 2010. It will also be the largest landfill gas to energy facility in southwest Ontario.

"This project will ensure that not even garbage goes to waste," said Michael Hirlehey, Site Manager. "By investing in landfill-gas-to-energy, we will be developing clean and renewable energy to power homes and also create a more sustainable community."

Engines are fueled using landfill gas piped from the landfill, which forms as a result of the decomposition of waste. Electricity generated at this facility will be directed to the Ontario grid through Bluewater Power's distribution system.

"Bluewater Power is pleased to partner with Waste Management on this excellent initiative," said Tim Vanderheide , Chief Operating Officer, Bluewater Power Generation. "Our goal is to provide value to local communities by providing innovative energy solutions, which is exactly what this green energy project is all about."

Like wind and solar power, landfill gas is a natural resource that can be harnessed to produce energy and has many benefits and advantages compared to fossil fuels and other alternative energy sources.

Waste Management owns or operates over 100 landfill-gas-to-energy facilities in North America and plans on having more than 160 in operation by 2013.

In 2007, Waste Management announced four sustainability goals, which includes increasing the amount of waste-based energy produced. Currently, the company creates enough energy to power over one million homes, and it is looking to double that to two million by 2020. The Petrolia Landfill-Gas-To-Energy Project is another big step in accomplishing this goal and represents another source of renewable energy to help in preserving natural resources that would otherwise be used.

Waste Management currently has a landfill gas to energy facility in construction at its Ottawa waste management facility and plans to develop a similar facility at its landfill facility near Napanee. The company also has a landfill gas to energy facility in operation at its Ste. Sophie landfill north of Montreal , which is providing 75 percent of the energy needs to a the local Cascades paper mill in St. Jerome, Quebec .

"Waste Management pioneered landfill-gas-to-energy technology over two decades ago, and we continue to be a leader in this field," said Hirlehey. "We are proud to deliver on our commitment to a greener future and to our local communities."

About Waste Management

Waste Management, based in Houston , Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America . Subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. A leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States , customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America . For more information, visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com

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For further information: Waste Management, Inc., Media: Wes Muir, [phone], Web site: www.wm.com