Dive Summary:

• The Marion County Board of Commissioners in Oregon, have extended its 30-year contract with Covanta Marion, a subsidary of Covanta Energy, for another five years. 
• The contract includes disposal of the county's trash at Covanta's waste-to-energy plant, providing the site with 145,000 tons of waste every year.
• The plant is able to take in 550 tons of materials each day, which it then converts into electricity and sold to Portland General Electric.

From the article:

According to the company, the county has built a high quality system which prioritises recycling and has achieved a recycling rate of approximately 60% - more than double the national average - and recovers energy from the remaining residual waste.

Covanta explained that the revenues generated by the sale of electricity and metal recycling enable the county to provide residents with innovative recycling programs including, among other things, a Kerbside collection program for non-traditional recyclable materials such as latex paint, household batteries, motor oil, antifreeze and cooking oil.