Proactive wildlife projects, sustainability lauded
WESTVILLE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 26, 2014--
Wheelabrator Technologies, a worldwide leader in converting everyday
household and commercial waste into clean, renewable energy, was
recently honored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Projection (NJDEP) with an environmental stewardship award for its
proactive engagement in sustainability initiatives at its Gloucester
waste-to-energy facility.
“The NJDEP’s stewardship program recognizes businesses that voluntarily
take measures to go above and beyond compliance with our environmental
laws and regulations,” said John Giordano, assistant commissioner for
compliance and enforcement. “Wheelabrator was recognized in two of our
stewardship categories – environmental enhancement projects and
community outreach. The company proactively took on the responsibility
to vastly improve wildlife habitats, and partnered with other
environmental and civic groups to further ensure a sustainable future
for New Jersey’s natural resources.”
The state’s voluntary environmental stewardship program has 21
categories in which businesses can achieve recognition for proactive
activities that far exceed permit requirements.
As a strong advocate for the environment, Wheelabrator Gloucester
created and maintains a wildlife refuge and nature trail on 150 acres of
wetlands surrounding the waste-to-energy facility. Working closely with
the New Jersey Audubon Society and the Gloucester County Nature Club,
this sanctuary is certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council as a
“Wildlife at Work” site that offers a meandering trail system designed
to provide an optimal outdoor experience for visitors while minimizing
the human impact on wildlife.
In 2012, Wheelabrator Gloucester raised and released 75 Bobwhite quail
as part of New Jersey’s efforts to restore the Bobwhite quail
population. The repopulation effort was the first-of-its-kind in the
state. In April 2011, the South Jersey Land and Water Trust (SJLWT)
honored Wheelabrator for its wildlife restoration project along Big
Timber Creek. The site provides a classroom for the public to witness
how restoring native plant species can benefit wildlife habitat for
local and migratory species, including resident bald eagles. In addition
to the SJLWT, employees work with multiple partner organizations
including the South Jersey Quail Unlimited, the Gloucester County Nature
Club, the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, and the NJDEP to
maintain the programs.
Wheelabrator Gloucester partners with numerous local civic and school
groups on other environmental enhancement projects ongoing at its
location. Two butterfly gardens are abloom as a result of collaboration
with the Westville Environmental Commission. As part of the Wild Wings
Project, one garden, created by the Girl Scouts, features wooden
butterfly houses vibrantly painted by local schoolchildren. The other
garden graces the pond at Thomas West Park behind Parkview Elementary
School. Butterfly and bat houses were also installed along the nature
trail by students at West Deptford Middle School who participate in
Wheelabrator’s annual Symposium for Environment and Education, now in
its 20th year.
“As a leader in converting post-recycled waste into clean, renewable
energy for the communities we serve, Wheelabrator’s commitment to
sustainability goes beyond our day-to-day operations and includes
corporate social responsibility programs designed to foster
environmental awareness, education and community engagement,” said Mark
Weidman, president of Wheelabrator Technologies. “We applaud our
Wheelabrator Gloucester employees for their commitment to environmental
stewardship and we extend our sincere gratitude to the NJDEP for
recognizing Wheelabrator with its environmental stewardship award.”
ABOUT NJDEP ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE
The NJDEP’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative is a recognition
program developed by compliance and enforcement for use by all NJDEP
programs that conduct compliance assurance inspections. The goal of this
initiative is to encourage regulated entities to improve their
environmental performance beyond the minimum requirements of existing
rules and regulations. The program is broad in scope and covers a
diverse spectrum of environmental stewardship and sustainable related
practices. To learn more, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/stewardship/.
ABOUT WHEELABRATOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Waste Management, Wheelabrator Technologies
Inc. is a leader in the safe and environmentally sound conversion of
municipal solid waste and other renewable waste fuels into clean energy.
Wheelabrator owns or operates 17 waste-to-energy facilities that provide
safe waste disposal for towns and cities across the U.S. Wheelabrator
also operates four independent power plants designed to generate
electricity using an assortment of fuels, including waste wood, waste
coal, and natural gas. In addition to producing electricity, some of
these facilities also produce steam sold to nearby government and
commercial establishments. Wheelabrator’s 21 facilities have a combined
electric generating capacity of 853 megawatts, enough energy to power
more than 900,000 homes. To learn more, visit www.wheelabratortechnologies.com.
ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM), 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
also 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.
Source: Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc.
Michelle Nadeau, 603-929-3458
mnadeau@wm.com