Southbury Pursues Sustainable Waste Management Services

Covanta Energy Corporation announced a new partnership with the Town of Southbury Friday for services that will include sustainable waste disposal and recycling.

Covanta is the largest owner and operator of energy-from-waste facilities in North America, according to a release issued by the corporation. 

By bundling services, municipalities are able to save money on disposal costs and get credit back in the form of a rebate for recycling. Southbury service is slated to begin in November 2012 with the contract running for four years including extension options.

“The Covanta contract offers Southbury significant cost savings for waste disposal and recycling as well as predictability when it comes to managing our costs,” said Southbury First Selectman Ed Edelson. “Our partnership with Covanta also ensures that we are handling our waste in a sustainable manner by utilizing Covanta’s energy-from-waste facilities and not landfills."

In addition to the economic benefits, Covanta claims to offer short queue times for waste haulers at Covanta energy-from-waste facilities, which will result in notable time efficiencies, according to the release.

“Covanta is excited to be establishing a new partnership with the Town of Southbury. First Selectman Edelson should be applauded for his work to ensure the Town’s waste is managed sustainably from both an environmental and economic perspective,” commented Steve Diaz, vice president and regional business manager for Covanta. “Southbury is an integral component of our Connecticut service landscape and we look forward to providing the world-class service we are known for in the many years ahead.”

As part of the new contract, Covanta will also provide outreach funds to the community. These funds can be used for a variety of projects including hazardous household waste collections and energy-from-waste and recycling education programs.