Community Engagement

Covanta Energy has a long history of interacting and engaging with communities. Our community programs are centered primarily on environmental issues which are in many cases related to waste disposal and recycling. Our facility-run volunteer programs assist in cleaning up local rivers, streets and parks, planting trees and participation in local household hazardous waste programs. Our facilities also sponsor or support local education programs, sports teams, food pantries and various recycling collection programs.

Below are specific examples of Covanta’s key national community programs:

Mercury and toxics reduction: Mercury Containing Device Collections

Covanta believes that the best strategy for preventing the release of mercury and other toxins into the environment is by reducing or eliminating their use in consumer products. In the absence of a nationwide initiative to address this matter, Covanta has conducted mercury awareness collection programs since 2000 to inform the public that mercury-bearing items, such as thermometers and thermostats, should not be discarded with other regular trash. Learn More 

Water Supply Contamination Prevention: Prescription for Safety Program (Rx4Safety)

Based on evidence of pollution in waterways and drinking water, as well as an increase in pharmaceutical drug abuse, Covanta Energy has developed the Prescription for Safety Program (Rx4Safety) to provide free, safe disposal of medications collected at community sponsored drug take-back programs. Learn More

Reducing Debris in U.S. Coastal Waters: Fishing for Energy and the Trash Free Seas Alliance

Fishing for Energy is a partnership between Covanta Energy, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, and Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. It was established in 2008 to reduce the financial burden imposed on commercial fishermen when disposing of old, derelict gear (i.e. gear that is lost in the marine environment) as well as the amount of gear that inadvertently ends up in U.S. coastal waters. Learn more 

To further our commitment to reducing marine debris in 2011 Covanta became a founding member of the Trash Free Seas Alliance. Member companies and organizations in the alliance have pledged to reduce and make continual progress toward eliminating ocean trash. Other members of the alliance include: Ocean Conservancy, The Coca-Cola Company, Surfrider Foundation, The Ocean Recovery Alliance, The Marine Mammal Center and ITW.

Click here to visit the website for the Trash Free Seas Alliance.

Addressing Plastic Waste in the Pacific Ocean: The Clinton Global Initiative and Project Kaisei

An extension of our Fishing for Energy efforts is a collaboration started in 2009 with Project Kaisei through the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). Covanta is working with Project Kaisei to begin to address the pollution caused by plastic waste accumulating in the North Pacific Gyre. A parallel effort is a program with students at Yale University was completed to better understand waste management practices that contribute to the formation of the Gyre and possible solutions to its eradication.

Learn more about our local community involvement in our Facilities section.