ASME division bestows awards at Waste-to-Energy Conference

ASME's Solid Waste Processing Division recently honored three engineers with its 2007 awards for meritorious service and achievement in the field. In addition, the division recognized two facilities with awards for their innovative contributions to solid waste processing, economics and safety, and environmental performance.

The awards were presented in May at the 15th North American Waste-to-Energy Conference in Miami.

At the ceremony, ASME Fellows Anthony Licata and Charles O. Velzy were presented with Distinguished Service Awards, while Anthony J. Orlando was named the recipient of the Medal of Achievement Award.

Licata, whom the division described as "one of the true pioneers of air pollution measurement and control," has designed and developed combustion equipment meeting the Clean Air Act requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He also has developed systems that significantly reduce harmful dioxins from waste combustion systems.

ASME Honorary Member Charles Velzy has worked in waste management for more than 40 years and has made significant contributions to emissions control, wastewater treatment, and nuclear waste remediation. Velzy, a former president of ASME, has developed standards and methodologies for testing emissions in waste combustors and an ASME certification program for operators of waste-to-energy facilities.

Orlando is president and chief executive officer of Coventa Holding Corp., which operates two waste-to-energy facilities. He joined Coventa in 1987 and became senior vice president, Waste-to-Energy Business Management, in 1996. In that role, Orlando oversaw all business aspects of Coventa's two facilities, including client relations, asset management, and financial reporting.

During the awards ceremony, the Solid Waste Processing Division also named the York Resource Recovery Center in Pennsylvania and the MacArthur Resources Recovery Facility in New York as the winners in the 2007 Facility Recognition Awards category.

The division named the York Resource Recovery Center as the winner in the Large Combustion Facility category. The facility handles waste disposal for more than 400,000 residents in York County, Pa. Operated by the Montenay Power Corp., the plant is equipped with a high-efficiency carbon injection system for controlling mercury, improved ash handling capabilities, and upgraded air nozzles opposite the three Westinghouse combustors that aid in reducing levels of carbon dioxide emissions. The facility is recognized under the performance ratings of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Southeast Resource Recovery Facility in Long Beach, Calif., received honorable mention in the Large Combustion Facility category.

The MacArthur Resource Recovery Facility, located in Islip, N.Y., was the winner in the Small Combustion Facility category. The plant, utilizing a Spray-Dry Absorber and other advanced technologies to control air emissions, maintains both OSHA ratings and ISO certification for its achievements in safety and environmental performance. In 2006, the MacArthur Resource Recovery Facility processed more than 171,000 tons of municipal solid waste.

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