WM to debut 4 recycling, RNG projects

WM has announced that it will host grand openings for four recycling and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects across the U.S. this April as part of the Houston-based company’s plans to invest $3 billion in its sustainability growth strategy from 2022-2026. WM expects the investments to result in 39 new or upgraded recycling facilities and 20 new WM-owned RNG facilities.

WM will host grand opening events for newly upgraded recycling facilities near Baltimore and in Central Texas, as well as new RNG facilities in the Chicago and Philadelphia areas, totaling more than $323 million in investments.

Among these recycling facility upgrades is the Mesquite Creek Recycling Facility in New Braunfels, Texas, which WM says is one of the fastest-growing markets in America. Additionally, the Elkridge Recycling Facility near Baltimore is now WM's largest recycling facility based on hourly processing capacity. These facilities leverage modern technology that uses artificial intelligence and automation to increase the amount of material that can be captured for potential reuse.

WM says its Fairless RNG facility, which processes captured landfill gas into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas, outside Philadelphia is now the largest of its kind owned by the company. Investments in RNG position WM's landfill assets as community energy partners, according to the company.

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"Technology and innovation underpin our sustainability strategy, and we are adding optical sorters, intelligent sorting equipment and more at our recycling sites to help capture more material, including in areas that lack recycling access today," says Tara Hemmer, WM chief sustainability officer. "We're also proud to turn landfill gas captured at WM landfill sites into a renewable energy source, which could power up to 1.7 million homes by 2026 and support our objective of maximizing the allocation of RNG to WM's natural gas collection fleet."

As of the start of April, WM has completed eight of 20 planned RNG facilities and 27 of 39 planned recycling facilities. The company says it intends to open additional sites in 2025 as part of its enterprisewide investment plans.

Once all planned recycling and RNG facilities are completed, the expanded network is expected to add more than 2.8 million incremental tons of annual recycling capacity and 25 million British thermal units of renewable natural gas annually, WM says.

The company also says it is investing in innovative capabilities to monitor and mitigate landfill air emissions. WM recently acquired Blue Sky Resources and AirLogic analytics platform, providing the company with a comprehensive tool to track and compare data from various detection technologies to help better locate and mitigate potential emissions. 

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"We are meeting our customers' needs today and investing in communities for the long term through our planned growth in recycling and renewable energy infrastructure," says WM President and CEO Jim Fish. "As demand for recycling and renewable energy rises, WM is leading the industry in leveraging technology and automation to deliver solutions to our customers and help drive a more sustainable future."