Casella recognized on climate leaders list

Casella Waste Systems Inc., a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, has been named to USA Today’s “America’s Climate Leaders 2024” list for the second consecutive year. 

The list recognizes the top 450 companies across the United States that achieved the greatest reduction in their operational emissions between 2020 and 2022. USA Today says this is a measure of the amount of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gases a company produces relative to its revenue. Casella is among just three in the waste and recycling industry to be recognized, and one of two to have been honored in back-to-back years. 

RELATED: Casella highlights recycling investments, education efforts 

Casella, headquartered in Rutland, Vermont, established its first recycling facility in Vermont in 1977. According to the company, it recognized the benefits of organics and food waste recovery in the 1990s and was a charter member of the EPA’s Climate Leaders program in 2005. 

“Sustainable innovation in material, resource and waste management has been central to our business since its founding,” says John W. Casella, chairman and CEO of Casella. “As the only waste and recycling company among the founding members of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Climate Leaders program, we recognized our ability to improve our own sustainability while also enabling our customers and the communities we serve to operate more sustainably. For every metric ton of greenhouse gas emitted through our operations, we prevent more than 4 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through our recycling, energy and carbon sequestration services.” 

RELATED: Casella introduces its first electric refuse vehicle in Vermont 

USA Today says Casella’s history as a leader in sustainability is marked by several milestones in materials management and its focus on climate leadership has been present for more than two decades. The EPA, the Association of Climate Change Officers, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and the Climate Registry recognized the company’s climate achievements in 2012 with a Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in GHG, or greenhouse gas, management. 

“It is essential to all our key stakeholders that we link meaningful economic and environmental progress in advancing sustainability,” says Casella. “This has been central to our success and growth as a business for several decades and it is always an honor to have those efforts recognized by others. Our industry is evolving, and we are proud to be among the leaders of this evolution.”