Sustainability and Solid Waste Disposal in WNY
Sustainability is often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Dictionaries define it as maintaining balance within a system and in business it is often discussed as the “triple bottom line” of people, planet and profit.
For Modern, all these definitions are important. Sustainability for us means making business decisions with a long-term perspective, recognizing the value of “waste” as a resource, and maintaining our commitment to the environment. Our associates live and work in the communities we serve and we are dedicated to preserving the long-term environmental and economic health of those communities when it comes to solid waste disposal in WNY.
Examples of how sustainability is woven into what we do include:
Recycling
Modern helps communities and customers expand recycling through the convenience of cart-based, single stream collection and we reduce environmental and financial program costs via implementation of every other week collection.
Modern works to maximize the range of materials it recycles, including construction and demolition debris, commercial/institutional recyclable material and organic materials like food scraps.
Transportation
Making the switch to compressed natural gas trucks is the newest example of our commitment to the environment and the Western NY community. The switch reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20% compared to the diesel predecessors and the trucks run quieter too.
GPS technology helps us route trucks efficiently, reducing wear and tear on the roads and minimizing energy used for transportation, keeping our carbon footprint smaller.
Energy
Gas extracted from Modern Landfill, once burned as a waste, has been used since 2005 to provide renewable electricity to the power grid. Collecting the gas also reduces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Community Support
As a locally owned, family business, Modern has been giving back to the WNY community since its inception. Our direct and in-kind donations have supported arts and entertainment, youth sports, healthcare, community safety and other charitable endeavors that help keep Western New York a place where people want to live.
Education
We must all do our part to achieve a sustainable future and how to take care of solid waste disposal in WNY. This often means thinking and acting differently. Modern’s educational programs help its customers and community members to learn and spur them to act.
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