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The Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy (TARE) and Covanta, have established a 15-year agreement with a 5-year renewable option for the continuance of waste-to-energy operations in the city of Tulsa.
“With today’s announcement, Tulsans can rest assured that when they throw something away, their trash is going to something more than just a landfill,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I’m thankful for the team at Covanta and the TARE board for finding a solution that meets both the City’s needs and the growing needs of our partner companies as we work to meet our sustainability goals.”
“TARE’s contract with Covanta is part of our long-term sustainability strategy,” said Dorinda Alexander, chairwoman of the TARE board. “The waste-to-energy plant allows us to divert almost all of Tulsa's household trash away from landfills while providing steam to an important Tulsa employer. Companies are looking for ways to achieve their sustainability goals, so having a green waste solution like this in Tulsa puts us in a great position to attract new businesses. We look forward to building on this success.”
Covanta Tulsa is the only waste-to-energy plant in the surrounding eight-state-area. When Tulsans throw something away, their trash is taken to the facility to be combusted and used for energy rather than taken directly to a landfill, which has negative impacts on the environment.
“Covanta is proud to partner with TARE to help fulfill the City of Tulsa’s goals to serve its community as well as prioritize sustainability through our innovative waste and energy solutions,” Covanta Vice President of Business Development Joey Neuhoff said. “Tulsa has been bold in its efforts to offer environmentally conscious solutions to all its citizens, and we are pleased to continue to work with the community for years to come.”
Since 1986, the facility has been an integral part of the region’s sustainable waste management system, resulting in:
• 9.5 million tons of waste diverted from landfills
• Nearly 50 billion pounds of steam produced for strategic commercial customers
• The production of more than 130,000 MWh of renewable electricity
• 200,000 tons of metal recovered and recycled that otherwise would have been lost to landfill, equivalent to more than two Golden Gate Bridges
• Greenhouse Gas emissions reduced by 8.6 million tons CO2 equivalent, which is equal to taking 1.7 million cars off the road
The waste-to-energy process is important not only for its sustainability properties, but it helps lessen the likelihood for excessive bacteria to breed in the landfill or cause contaminated groundwater situations, which is a growing problem for many municipalities in the United States. The ash created in the process is used as daily cover at the landfill and also lessens the amount of waste at the landfill, which helps slow its growth over time.