Republic earns top recognition, high score in climate change report

Dive Brief:

Phoenix-based Republic Services Inc. was recognized in the CDP S&P 500 Climate Change report, produced by nonprofit CDP, who measures and discloses company’s environmental information. Republic earned a disclosure score of 98% and an A- in performance in the report on businesses leveraging science-based strategies to reduce climate change. The company was recognized in the following areas:
- Fleet: Republic invested in more than 2,200 CNG-powered vehicles and installed 38 CNG fueling stations nationwide.
- Landfills: Republic has converted landfill gas into renewable energy, and directed this resource to more than 70 landfill gas-to-energy (LFGTE) projects nationwide, and aims to add two LFGTE projects annually through 2018.
- Recycling: Republic’s 66 recycling centers process about five million tons of recyclable material annually, nationwide. And the company recently opened the largest residential recycling center in North America.
CDP works with 722 institutional investors with assets of $87 trillion, to encourage companies to be transparent about their environmental impact and to improve it. The company holds the largest bank of data on climate change information.

Dive Insight:

Haulers and recyclers are continually in the public light for their environmental impact, as they look for sustainable, safe and economically sound ways to manage solid waste as well as for other uses for it.

Businesses rising to the top are focusing on corporate responsibility through investments in greener practices like CNG; for every truck they run in place of a diesel vehicle they have equal impact to planting over 600 mature trees each year. Through gasification techniques, companies are reducing disposal costs and landfill space while converting wastes to fuels. And some are investing tens of millions in cutting-edge recycling centers, with the fasted processing up to 70 tons of material per hour.

"We work hard to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, and we are proud to be recognized by the CDP," said Pete Keller, vice president of recycling and sustainability at Republic Services. "We are committed to protecting and preserving our planet, identifying opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint, while expanding our capabilities to solve our customers' evolving recycling and waste needs."