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As a truck from City Carting rolled onto the check-in scale at the Wheelabrator Westchester entrance, employees gathered to congratulate driver Mike McKenzie and to observe more than 30 years of helping Westchester County convert its residential and commercial waste into clean, renewable energy. For Plant Manager Brett Baker, crossing the 20 million ton mark was a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the plant’s employees, many of whom have worked at the facility since it opened in 1984.
“We are proud to serve communities and businesses in Westchester County and the surrounding region, helping our customers recover value from the waste stream in a sustainable, environmentally responsible way," said Baker.
Designed, built and operated by Wheelabrator Technologies, the Wheelabrator Westchester plant is located in the Charles Point industrial park. It processes up to 2,250 tons of everyday post-recycled household and business waste per day. The steam-powered turbines generate 60,000 kilowatts of electricity an hour — enough to power 67,000 homes. Additional steam not required for electricity generation is marketed to nearby commercial customers for use as a clean, reliable, renewable energy source.
In 2013, Wheelabrator Westchester began providing steam to power the commercial laundry operations of White Plains Linen, allowing the company to reduce its natural gas usage and related greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent. In addition to producing renewable power, the facility recovers and recycles approximately 12,000 tons of metal during the year. The recycled metals are used to create new products, preserving natural resources for future generations.
“Congratulations to Wheelabrator for reaching the 20 million ton milestone,” said Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “We applaud the company’s continued efforts to transform waste into safe, clean renewable energy for Westchester County while recovering valuable materials from the waste stream for recycling, such as metals, and supplying steam to nearby business owners.”
For more on Wheelabrator, please visit www.wtienergy.com.
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