Waste Management of Oregon Opens Ultra-Green Recycling Center

Metro Council President David Bragdon Welcomes Innovative Approach to Boost Recycling and Reduce Landfill Waste

HILLSBORO, Ore., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Waste Management ofOregon today christened an expansive and ultra-green recycling center that will dramatically increase recycling and reduce landfill waste acrossWashington County.

The recycling center will accept construction and demolition castoffs that, in the past, have ended up in landfills. It will collect, sort and reclaim these materials - concrete, asphalt, wood, and metals - for use in new ways.

The 65,000-square-foot facility is central to Waste Management's efforts to help local and regional governments achieve aggressive new sustainability goals.

"This is a significant investment for Waste Management and a reflection of our commitment to advancing sustainability in Oregon," said Dean Kattler, vice president for Waste Management's Northwest Market Area.

"Recovering debris from construction and demolition sites and then putting it back to work in the community synchs up with our broader company strategies to use traditional waste in innovative, sustainable ways," Kattler said. "Instead of ending up in the landfill, these materials will be recovered and reused."

This process will result in important energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions as more materials are re-purposed.

"The new facility will help our region further progress in its commitment to recycling, preventing waste and ensuring sustainable, livable communities for generations to come," said David Bragdon, council president of Metro, the regional government serving residents in the 25 cities and three counties of thePortland metropolitan area.

"It will play a key role in the region's efforts to maximize recycling of construction and demolition materials and to reap the related environmental and economic benefits."

Innovative and sustainable design

Waste Management's new recycling center will also deliver significant energy savings and environmental benefits resulting from its innovative and sustainable features.

Designed and constructed to meet rigorous sustainability standards known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the center looks and operates differently than traditional recycling centers.

Most distinctive is the massive translucent roof that allows for natural lighting and reduces energy consumption. The roof includes a system to harvest rainwater and store it for later use on site. There is also a powerful ventilation system that circulates fresh air through the facility every 10 minutes.

Economic benefits

The new facility is a $10 million investment for Waste Management. The project involved 100 construction jobs and has resulted in 20 permanent jobs.

Recycling, landfill, wildlife habitat, wetlands

The new facility is at 3205 SE Minter Bridge Road nearHillsboro, where Waste Management also operates a landfill and manages more than 100 acres of certified wildlife habitat and wetlands. The site is home to 100 bird species and mammals, including great blue heron, deer, beaver, and rabbits.

The landfill is permitted to accept primarily construction and demolition debris. It does not accept household garbage or hazardous waste.

Open July 1

The new recycling center will open for commercial and residential use on July 1, accepting the following materials:

     -- construction and demolition debris       yard debris and stumps
     -- concrete and asphalt                     wood
     -- scrap metal                              clean dirt
     -- corrugated cardboard                     container glass
     -- appliances                               tires
     -- car batteries                            motor oil
     -- magazines, and newspapers                tin cans
     -- plastic containers #1-7                  scrap paper

About Waste Management

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, 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 also 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. More information about how Waste Management Thinks Green(R) can be found at www.wm.com/wm/thinkgreen.

SOURCE Waste Management ofOregon

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