REPUBLIC SERVICES’ CHEROKEE RUN LANDFILL

GAS PROJECT TO PROVIDE ELECTRICY TO AREA HOMES

 

Thousands of Western Ohio homes powered by landfill gas

 

BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio.—October 2, 2009— Officials from Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG), DTE Energy and The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE:SHAW) today dedicated the Cherokee Run Landfill gas-to-electricity project, Ohio’s newest source of renewable energy. The Cherokee Run Landfill, in Bellefontaine, is located east of Interstate 75, about 55 miles northwest of Columbus.

 

“This project, once again, demonstrates Republic’s leadership in generating renewable energy from solid waste,” said Kevin Wallbridge, senior vice president Midwest Region, Republic Services. “This is Ohio’s newest renewable energy project and it represents the current best available technology for emissions controls, making it an extremely clean energy source.”

 

This clean energy project is the equivalent of reducing the emissions from 37,550 cars. To have the same effect, you would have to plant more than 45,596 acres of pine or fir trees.

 

DTE Biomass Energy and Shaw designed and built the landfill gas-to-energy plant that will generate approximately 4.8 megawatts of electricity, enough to power nearly 2,800 homes in western Ohio.

 

“This is a regenesis of a project we started 10 years ago,” said Mark Cousino, DTE Biomass Energy president. “It also represents a successful collaboration that will benefit the environment and residents of Bellefontaine for many years to come.”

 

Landfill biogas, which is created when organic material in a municipal solid waste landfill decomposes, consists of about 50 percent methane. It is a readily available, local and alternative energy source that offsets the need for fossil fuels. The gas can be converted and used in many ways: to generate electricity, heat or steam; or as an alternative vehicle fuel.

 

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Landfill gas-to-energy projects are win-win opportunities for all parties involved, whether they are the landfill owner/operators, the local utility, the local government, or the surrounding community.

 

The Cherokee Run Landfill gas-to-energy project is one of 76 renewable energy projects at Republic Services’ landfills nationwide. Republic’s facilities provide enough energy to meet the needs of 360,600 homes. Using this renewable energy source reduces emissions equivalent to taking more than 3.3 million cars off the road. To have the same effect, you would have to plant 4.2 million acres of pine or fir trees.

 

 

About Republic Services

Republic Services is a leading provider of solid waste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal services. Allied Waste merged with Republic Services in December 2008. Republic Services, Inc. has been building on success since its inception in 1998, becoming an industry-leading provider of waste and environmental services. The company provides trash collection services to commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers in 40 states and Puerto Rico through its 400 collection companies. Republic Services owns or operates 242 transfer stations, 213 solid waste landfills and 78 recycling facilities. The company is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and has 34,000 employees. For more information, visit the Republic Services web site at www.republicservices.com.

 

About DTE Biomass Energy

DTE Biomass Energy is a subsidiary of DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. DTE Energy's operating units include Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan; MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan; and other non-utility, energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, coal and gas midstream, unconventional gas production and energy trading. Information about DTE Biomass Energy is available at www.dtebiomassenergy.com.

 

About Shaw

The Shaw Group Inc. is a leading global provider of technology, engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, fabrication, manufacturing, consulting, remediation and facilities management services for government and private sector clients in the energy, chemicals, environmental, infrastructure and emergency response markets. A Fortune 500 company with fiscal year 2008 annual revenues of $7 billion, Shaw is headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., and employs approximately 26,000 people at its offices and operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

 

 

 

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