Trade News
HOUSTONand MURRAY HILL, N.J. – 16 November 2010 - The world’s largest biofuel plant producing liquid natural gas from landfill gas has received a 2010 California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.
Recognized in the category of Sustainable Facility, the plant is located at Waste Management’s Altamont Landfill and Resource Recovery Facility near Livermore, California. The plant, which produces up to 13,000 gallons a day of near zero carbon fuel, is owned and operated by a joint venture between Linde North America, part of The Linde Group, a world leading gases and engineering company, and Waste Management (NYSE: WM), North America’s largest waste management company.
The award is California’s highest environmental honor and recognizes exceptional leadership in conserving California’s precious resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, building public-private partnerships and strengthening the state’s economy.
Since Linde and Waste Management’s plant began operating in September 2009, it has produced over two million gallons of clean, renewable fuel from landfill gas generated through the decomposition of waste at the Altamont Landfill. More than 300 of Waste Management’s liquid natural gas collection vehicles in California are powered daily by the fuel generated at the Altamont facility, displacing tens of thousands of tons of vehicular greenhouse gas emissions annually.
“We are closing the loop in the waste disposal business,” said Duane Woods, senior vice president for Waste Management’s Western Group. “Converting the landfill gas into a sustainable, clean alternative fuel source is the very essence of closed-loop recycling.”
“Our natural gas collection vehicles produce 97 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than comparable diesel fuel vehicles. Creating a healthier environment through reduced emissions and improved air quality is the essence of green innovation. Waste Management is proud to be recognized for this achievement,” Woods added.
Pat Murphy, president, Linde North America, said, “Linde is proud to improve air quality for millions of Californians. The ultra-low carbon fuel our plant produces already meets the California Air Resources Board’s 2020 low carbon fuel requirements and the goals of AB32. Receiving the Governor’s award confirms that our fully local, ‘wells to wheels’ solution has hit the ball out of the park for the residents of California.”
“As usual, California is a leader in recognizing and promoting alternative fuels that help clean the environment, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and boost the economy. We hope this plant, and California’s progressive thinking, can serve as a model for the rest of the country as we look to tap unused biogas resources,” Murphy said.
By displacing 2.5 million gallons of diesel a year, the renewable biogas the plant produces eliminates over 30,000 tons a year of transportation greenhouse gases – the equivalent of removing over 5,000 passenger cars from the road. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced by nearly 200 tons and particulate matter emissions by over four tons a year.
Four California agencies contributed to this project, including the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
About Waste Management
Waste Management is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are the largest recycler in North America as well as a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. Waste Management’s Bay Area operations are based in Oakland. Visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen to learn more about Waste Management. To learn more about the Altamont Landfill, visit www.altamontlandfill.wm.com.
About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion (USD 15.3 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.
Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. For more information, visit Linde North America online at http://www.lindeus.com
Contacts:
Waste Management
Wes Muir
Corporate
713.328.7053
wmuir@wm.com
Karen Stern
California
510.613.8720
Kstern2@wm.com
Linde
Jon Lederman
908.771.1491
Jon.Lederman@linde.com