Trash pickup company releases recycled report on its 'green' practices
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Garbage is getting cleaner by the day due to one local company's commitment to "green," or environmentally friendly policies.

Waste Management, the trash hauling company, which has a branch office in Simi Valley, recently published a social responsibility report entitled "It Starts with Commitment."

The report outlines the company's environmental goals and the many programs that are already helping to eliminate waste throughout the region.

Waste Management collects and disposes of garbage across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Locally, the company handles garbage collection and recycling throughout the west San Fernando Valley, the Conejo Valley, and the cities of Simi Valley, Moorpark and Camarillo.

According to the report, 41 million trees were saved using the company's environmental strategies, which produced enough energy to power about a million homes.

"We ask ourselves, where does our responsibility as a company end and our responsibility as members of the community and custodians of the earth begin," said David Steiner, Waste Management's CEO. "Ultimately, we should do everything we can to benefit our own neighborhoods, families, cities and quality of life. We are stewards of the earth's resources. This report lets stakeholders know about our efforts--both internally and externally-to Think Green."

Mike Smith, vice president of marketing at the Simi Valley branch, said the company promotes renewable energy projects at the Simi Valley Landfill. Methane gashe said, is produced through decomposing waste. Once recoveredmethane can be converted into electrical power.

The program generates enough "green" energy to power more than 800,000 homes and saves the equivalent of more than 8 million barrels of oil, a first step in reducing dependence on foreign oil. Eric Rose, the company's public information officer, said in a statement that the firm's landfills double as wildlife habitat. Indeedmore than 17,000 acres of such land is protected as wildlife habitat, and 15 landfills are certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council.

Recycled report

Smith said 75 percent of the company truck fleet runs on an alternative fuel or "clean diesel." As a result, 247 tons of harmful aiemissions have been reduced each year. "We're ahead of the state emissions guidelines," Smith said. The company met the state's 2006 goals in early 2005.

The report itself is a study in successful green practices. "The book was printed on 30 percenpost-consumer recyclable paper, which was manufactured at a paper mill that is powered by methane gas from a Waste Management landfill," Rose said.

By printing the report on recycled paper instead of "virgin fiber," the company saved the "equivalent of 43 trees," and reduced solid waste by 2,756 pounds, according to the report.

About 26,000 gallons of water and wastewater flow was saved in the production of the book. The company calculated that waterborne waste was reduced by 17.6 pounds and atmospheric emissions were cut by 5,350 pounds.

The report outlines the Waste Management's commitment to community partnerships.

"In 2005, Great American Cleanup volunteers cleaned up 180,150 total miles and 58,000 total acres," the report noted.

The partnership helped clean up railroad tracks, roads, streets and highways, rivers, lakes and shorelines, wetlands and public and park lands.

Education is integral to Waste Management's green philosophy. Educational tours are conducted at recycling plants and landfills across the country, and outreach programs are extended annually to civic groups, schools and residents.

"Green team" programs on recycling are directed at youth, and in some states the company offers a

video series that highlights recent developments in science, technology, engineering, medicine and recycling.

Sustainability is another focus area. Rose said the company is living the motto "Think Green," and said a sustainability initiative will address how to continue the "green" efforts, including ways to "think green, work green and buy green." Waste Management's green initiative and policies earned a commendation by Citigroup as one of the "Clean Dozen" businesses working on climate change issues.