What We Do
The official description is “the collection, transfer, processing and disposal of non-hazardous waste” but, simply put, we make go away what people don’t want around. That’s where the simplicity ends. With the advent of recycling, the growing awareness of the health effects of unmanaged disposal and transfer sites; collecting, moving, sorting and safely disposing of our waste has become an often complex business.
Collection—From residential curbside services and commercial containers to solutions for entire municipalities, Casella provides the people and equipment to pick up non-hazardous waste and deliver it to the transfer station for transportation and processing. Doing it well means hiring and retaining the right people as well as buying and maintaining the best equipment we can find.
Transfer—Localized transfer stations work like hubs, often connecting several collection operations and providing for the effective and economic transfer of the collected waste to a disposal site through a single point. A transfer station in action is a mechanical ballet of front loaders, “bobcats”, collection vehicles and transfer trucks all working together to drop off, move, and transport the day’s waste.
Processing—While a landfill handles biodegradable waste, much of what we throw away can be reclaimed and used again—reducing the burden on disposal sites and extending their useful life. Most of us are familiar with the basics—aluminum cans, glass, newspaper and plastic—but many people don’t realize how processing touches our lives. Glass is reclaimed and used as an additive in asphalt and roofing shingles, newspaper is often re-pulped and printed again or shredded to make an incredibly efficient home insulation product and you might be wearing what was formerly a pop bottle (synthetic fleece products are frequently made from recycled plastics).
Disposal—When we say waste is an essential service, we’re not kidding. It’s illegal in many states and communities to burn trash without a permit and you can’t bury it any state we serve without complying with the Federal, state, and local laws governing safe disposal. With the amount of waste being generated every month by each man, woman, and child in the United States, continuing to provide for our present as well as future disposal needs is the “essence” of essential. Most of our disposal operations are landfills but we also own and operate Maine Energy, which safely incinerates non-recyclable waste, producing electricity as a by-product.
In everything we do and every service we provide, in every community we serve, we lead the way.
