PHOENIX, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic
Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) today released its 2014 Sustainability
Report, which introduces the Company's sustainability plan –
the preservation of a Blue Planet™ – and its five
pillars of sustainability: safety, operations, materials
management, communities, and people.
Serving as Republic's foundation for the future, Blue
Planet is the Company's commitment to protecting the earth. It
also defines the Company's approach to environmental responsibility
through decreased vehicle emissions, innovative landfill
technologies, use of renewable energy, community engagement and
employee growth opportunities.
As part of the report, Republic is introducing specific goals
that focus on three high impact areas to drive emissions reductions
– recycled commodities, renewable energy and fleet operations.
By 2018, the Company plans to:
- Add 150,000 tons per year or more of recycling capacity to
enable growth of recycling within the communities it serves;
- Develop at least two landfill gas and renewable energy projects
per year, resulting in roughly 20,000 tons per year of avoided
carbon dioxide; and
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Company's collection
vehicles by three percent.
"Because we are striving to be America's preferred recycling and
solid waste partner, we evaluated our internal operations to better
understand our environmental impact, how to provide effortless
solutions to our customers that empower them to do the right thing,
and ultimately, ways to make our planet safer and better for
everyone," said Don Slager,
president and chief executive officer. "In 2015, we will continue
to explore new opportunities to drive efficiencies and create
shared value among our customers, employees and communities."
Highlights of the report include:
Placing a priority on safety: Republic, an industry
leader in safety, is investing in programs and practices that make
safety the foundation for protecting its employees and communities.
Currently, the Company's safety performance - based on the
Occupational Safety & Health Administration's recordable rates
- is 42 percent better than the industry average.
Reducing the impact of fleet operations: To date, the
Company has converted 2,200 trucks to compressed natural gas and
has 36 fueling stations nationwide. In addition, its standardized
vehicle maintenance program, OneFleet, is improving fuel efficiency
and routing.
Managing materials recovery in a responsible manner: The
Company collected nearly five million tons of recyclable materials
in 2014, and continues to make investments in recycling
infrastructure that offers recycling solutions to more residents
and businesses across the country.
Providing renewable energy resources: Through the capture
and use of methane and the offset of fossil fuels, the use of
landfill gas provides the economy and environment with significant
benefits.
Delivering landfill excellence and best practices: From
leachate extraction that is treated and returned to community
watersheds to gas collection systems that harness and convert
methane gas into renewable energy, Republic operates more than 300
active and closed landfills across the country that are highly
engineered containment systems responsibly protecting the
environment and processing the nation's waste.
Engaging with customers and communities: Operating in
more than 240 markets, Republic provides a robust and growing suite
of products and services to make proper disposal easy for its 14
million customers, while giving them peace of mind that they are
making a positive environmental impact.
Aligning people to serve customers and preserve our
Blue Planet: Republic is focused on attracting and
retaining talented professionals who have an unwavering commitment
to the planet to delivering superior customer service.
The report is available at:
http://mms.prnasia.com/republicservices/20150313/index.html.
About Republic Services:
Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) is an industry leader in U.S.
recycling and non-hazardous solid waste. Through its
subsidiaries, Republic's collection companies, recycling centers,
transfer stations and landfills focus on providing effective
solutions to make proper waste disposal effortless for their
commercial, industrial, municipal, residential and oilfield
customers. We'll handle it from here.™, the
brand's tagline, lets customers know they can count on Republic to
provide a superior experience while fostering a sustainable Blue
Planet™ for future generations to enjoy a cleaner,
safer and healthier world.
For more information, visit the Republic Services website at
republicservices.com. "Like" Republic on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/RepublicServices and follow on Twitter
@RepublicService.
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SOURCE Republic Services, Inc.