6.05.2007 - 11:45am ET

(CSRwire) ELKRIDGE, MD. – June 5, 2007 – Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WMI) and its wholly owned subsidiary, WM Recycle America (WMRA), today opened the largest, state-of-the-art single-stream recycling facility in the nation and the first of its kind in the Baltimore/Washington metro area. Located in Elkridge, Md., the $7 million, 50,000 sq. ft. facility has the capacity to process up to 1,000 tons of recyclables per day.

"Items recycled at our state-of-the-art facility provide the Baltimore and Washington area residents significant environmental benefits," said Patrick DeRueda, president, WMRA. "Our investment exemplifies WMRA’s commitment and leadership as North America’s largest recycler by offering communities and businesses economically sustainable recycling options."

Initially developed to serve Maryland’s Howard and Anne Arundel counties, the facility’s size allows it to accept materials from the greater Baltimore/Washington area. The facility employs advanced recycling technology including magnets, screens and optical scanners to automate the sorting of recyclables. The efficiency of the single-stream process can improve local recycling programs by increasing capacity, resulting in an average recovery of up to 30 percent more recyclable materials while maintaining material quality equal to if not better than traditional recycling processes.

Items recycled at the facility create an environmental benefit because recycling materials such as paper, glass, and metal helps protect valuable natural resources, save energy, promote clean air and water, and conserve landfill space.

"Since switching from a dual stream collection system to a single stream system in Howard County, participation in our recycling program has increased by more than 15 percent. This facility has been an integral part of that success, and I promise to do my part to make sure the county's recycling program continues to progress," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

Twenty-seven WMRA single-stream recycling facilities are currently operating across the country, and an additional six are planned for construction or opening this year. These facilities are a part of WMRA's plan to make it easier for people to recycle – thereby increasing recycling participation rates and recovery of recyclable materials – and help position Waste Management as the first major solid waste company to focus on single-stream recycling.

"At Waste Management, we Think Green in our operations," said Jim Trevathan, senior vice president, Eastern Group. "We are dedicated to being good stewards of the environment, making our communities safer, cleaner and better places to live and work. We are proud to be associated with Howard and Anne Arundel counties and the District of Columbia to benefit the environment and economy of communities throughout the Baltimore/Washington metro area."

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America.

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