Driver fuels WM truck with renewable natural gas

Energy is Renewable

We leverage advanced technologies to turn waste into energy that powers communities and reduces emissions.

We're innovating for climate progress.

At WM, we're innovating for climate progress. By deploying advanced technologies that use waste to produce energy, we are both powering communities and reducing our carbon footprint. Our investments in expanding our renewable energy technologies are decarbonizing our business and helping our customers meet their emissions goals.

Our Impact:
In 2022, we:

Reduced landfill emissions by 10% compared to 2021, from upgrades to gas collection and control systems

Utilized 45% captured landfill gas for beneficial use and generated 54,504,000 MMBTUs of renewable energy

Continued deployment and testing of technology to gather more precise data on landfill emissions

Incrementally transitioned over 60% of WM's collection fleet to compressed natural gas vehicles by 2022, avoiding the use of millions of gallons of diesel fuel every year

Allocated 47% renewable natural gas to our compressed natural gas collection fleet, resulting in 5% reduction in emissions compared to 2021

Looking Ahead:
In the years ahead, we plan to:

Continue implementing emissions reduction plans to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 42% by 2031 from a 2021 baseline

Increase the beneficial use of landfill gas to 65% by 2026, and ultimately reach around 90% beneficial use

Make continued investments in landfill gas collection and measurement systems

Continue to convert our fleet to alternative fuel vehicles, and achieve 70% of collection fleet by 2025

Increase allocation of renewable natural gas to our compressed natural gas fleet, reaching 100% by 2026

Sharing Inspiration WM Sustainability Stories

Slide 1 of 3
Two men checking meter at WM landfill gas collection facility

Producing Low-Carbon Fuel from Landfill Gas

Landfill gas, unlike many other fuels, can be captured and beneficially used for multiple purposes—from fueling vehicles to electrifying homes.

Capturing landfill gas benefits the environment by lowering our own carbon footprint through the reduction of landfill emissions and opens new opportunities for WM to sell renewable energy.

Today, WM operates or hosts more than 130 landfill gas-to-energy facilities, of which 17 produce renewable natural gas—the most in North America.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

WM truck driver exchanges greetings with a pedestrian

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

For over a decade, we have been transitioning our fleet to use alternative fuels. As a result, we have reduced our fleet emissions over 40%¹. This is significant progress towards our target for 70% of our collection fleet to be alternative fuel vehicles by 2025.

To achieve this, we continue to transition our collection fleet to compressed natural gas vehicles, which use a cleaner burning fuel, and are building our own compressed natural gas fueling stations in new areas.

¹ Total scope 1 GHG emissions related to collection fleet has reduced 40% since 2010.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

CORe anaerobic digestor processes food waste at WM facility

Organic Waste Supercharges Renewable Energy Production

WM's proprietary CORe® organics recycling process converts food, yard, and wood waste into EBS®, an organic slurry that significantly boosts renewable energy generation.

In Massachusetts, this enhancement was seen in real time when the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District (GLSD) added EBS® to their water treatment plant's anaerobic digesters. In doing so, they more than tripled their biogas production and were able to become a net positive producer of electricity.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

Two men checking meter at WM landfill gas collection facility

Producing Low-Carbon Fuel from Landfill Gas

Landfill gas, unlike many other fuels, can be captured and beneficially used for multiple purposes—from fueling vehicles to electrifying homes.

Capturing landfill gas benefits the environment by lowering our own carbon footprint through the reduction of landfill emissions and opens new opportunities for WM to sell renewable energy.

Today, WM operates or hosts more than 130 landfill gas-to-energy facilities, of which 17 produce renewable natural gas—the most in North America.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

WM truck driver exchanges greetings with a pedestrian

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

For over a decade, we have been transitioning our fleet to use alternative fuels. As a result, we have reduced our fleet emissions over 40%¹. This is significant progress towards our target for 70% of our collection fleet to be alternative fuel vehicles by 2025.

To achieve this, we continue to transition our collection fleet to compressed natural gas vehicles, which use a cleaner burning fuel, and are building our own compressed natural gas fueling stations in new areas.

¹ Total scope 1 GHG emissions related to collection fleet has reduced 40% since 2010.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

CORe anaerobic digestor processes food waste at WM facility

Organic Waste Supercharges Renewable Energy Production

WM's proprietary CORe® organics recycling process converts food, yard, and wood waste into EBS®, an organic slurry that significantly boosts renewable energy generation.

In Massachusetts, this enhancement was seen in real time when the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District (GLSD) added EBS® to their water treatment plant's anaerobic digesters. In doing so, they more than tripled their biogas production and were able to become a net positive producer of electricity.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

Two men checking meter at WM landfill gas collection facility

Producing Low-Carbon Fuel from Landfill Gas

Landfill gas, unlike many other fuels, can be captured and beneficially used for multiple purposes—from fueling vehicles to electrifying homes.

Capturing landfill gas benefits the environment by lowering our own carbon footprint through the reduction of landfill emissions and opens new opportunities for WM to sell renewable energy.

Today, WM operates or hosts more than 130 landfill gas-to-energy facilities, of which 17 produce renewable natural gas—the most in North America.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

WM truck driver exchanges greetings with a pedestrian

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

For over a decade, we have been transitioning our fleet to use alternative fuels. As a result, we have reduced our fleet emissions over 40%¹. This is significant progress towards our target for 70% of our collection fleet to be alternative fuel vehicles by 2025.

To achieve this, we continue to transition our collection fleet to compressed natural gas vehicles, which use a cleaner burning fuel, and are building our own compressed natural gas fueling stations in new areas.

¹ Total scope 1 GHG emissions related to collection fleet has reduced 40% since 2010.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

CORe anaerobic digestor processes food waste at WM facility

Organic Waste Supercharges Renewable Energy Production

WM's proprietary CORe® organics recycling process converts food, yard, and wood waste into EBS®, an organic slurry that significantly boosts renewable energy generation.

In Massachusetts, this enhancement was seen in real time when the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District (GLSD) added EBS® to their water treatment plant's anaerobic digesters. In doing so, they more than tripled their biogas production and were able to become a net positive producer of electricity.

Next

Tranistioning our Fleet to Alternative Fuel vehicles

2023

Sustainability Report

Read more sustainability stories and learn more about our goals, progress and initiatives in this year's report

Download 2023 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

News & Press Coverage