Covanta

Covanta develops and operates facilities that burn trash to produce electricity, recover metals from the waste stream for recycling, and provide other industrial waste management services.[25] As of 2013, about 60% of Covanta's revenue came from selling trash disposal services and 25% from selling electricity produced by burning trash.[26] The remainder of its revenue was from metal recycling, construction, and other services.[26]

As of 2018, Covanta operated more than 40 waste-to-energy plants in North America, China, and Europe.[27][28] Most of Covanta's revenue came from long-term contracts with local governments or utility providers.[27][29] It also benefits from tax incentives for green energy projects.[7]

As of 2018, the company burned 20 million tons of trash annually and recycled 550,000 tons of metal.[25] A majority of the trash is organic substances.[30] It also burns a smaller amount of pharmaceutical byproducts, like expired medicines.[31] Each ton of garbage contains about 50 pounds of metal that is removed with magnets, then sold for recycling.[32]

At its plants, Covanta feeds trash into a furnace burning at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.[32] The furnace produces steam that rotates a turbine, powering a generator.[32] The remaining ash is rapidly cooled to prevent the formation of toxic compounds, then goes through additional processing.[32] Government agencies regulate and monitor Covanta emission stacks for harmful toxins.[33] Filters and other equipment are in place to remove most of the harmful particulates,[27] and activated carbon removes most of the mercury.[33] Steam is then released into the atmosphere.[27]

Covanta supporters say burning trash to produce energy is an environmentally-friendly way to produce power and dispose of garbage that would otherwise fill landfills.[34] Environmental critics are concerned about mercury, lead, and other toxins produced from burning garbage.[35][33] Covanta has simultaneously received awards for its positive impact on the environment, while being sued and seeing protests for its environmental impacts.[4]

A 2008 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that waste-to-energy plants were better for the environment than landfills, in part because they reduced the methane garbage produced in landfills and reduced reliance on other fuels like coal.[35] A study by Columbia University said if waste-to-energy was as popular in the United States as it is in Europe, the U.S. would reduce carbon emissions by 264 million tons annually.[27] However, many environmentalists are skeptical about Covanta's claim that the steam emitted from a plant's furnace does not contain excess toxins.[27] Some environmentalist distrust government monitoring of Covanta's emission stacks, and have lobbied for more regulation.[33]

Additionally, Covanta has been cited numerous times for exceeding air pollution standards.[16] For example, one Covanta plant in Newark was cited for violating emission standards;[36] in 2010, a related lawsuit was settled for $875,000, which was used for a local green space program.[37] Similar problems have led to fines and settlements for mercury emissions in Florida,[38] dioxin in Connecticut,[39] and for hydrated lime in Dublin, Ireland.[40]

An academic from Columbia University has said most energy-from-waste emission criticisms are related to dated technology or misinformation.[27] Covanta said its facilities are compliant with emission standards 99.9% of the time.[36]

Covanta works with local governments to safely dispose of prescription drugs.[41][42] In 2014, there was a controversy about whether an Oregon Covanta facility was burning aborted fetuses and other human body parts as part of its medical waste.[43] Covanta said its plant never received aborted fetuses as fuel.[44]

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