Dive Summary:

• Covanta is now cleared to sell carbon offset credits created by its Hillsborough County Resource Recovery Facility in Tampa, Florida.
• The county teamed up with Covanta to sell the credits on the voluntary market, becoming the second waste-to-energy facility in the nation to do so.
• The offset credits were approved by the Verified Carbon Standard, which adheres to a worldwide set of standards to approve the credits.

From the article:

The credits represent verified reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions achieved by generating renewable energy from waste at the Resource Recovery Facility.

There are two types of markets: voluntary and compliance. Each type adheres to a particular standard or certification. Voluntary credits are purchased by companies and organisations interested in voluntarily reducing greenhouse gases.