The Essex County Resource Recovery Facility demonstrates the Port Authority's long-standing commitment to identifying and pursuing environmentally sound, economical solutions to the NY/NJ region's waste disposal needs. The facility, New Jersey's largest waste-to-energy plant, serves the refuse disposal needs of 22 municipalities in Essex County and the surrounding region.

Initially a joint undertaking of the Port Authority, Essex County and American Ref-Fuel Company of Essex County, Essex County Resource Recovery currently is operated by Covanta Energy under a long-term lease with the Port Authority. Using proven mass-burning technology, the plant processes about 2,750 tons of solid municipal waste per day. Each year the plant generates approximately 500 million kilowatts of electricity - enough electricity enough to operate the plant and 45,000 homes. The electrical energy recovered by the plant is sold on the open market.

Located in an industrially zoned area of Newark, the Essex County Resource Recovery Facility consists of three mass-fired boilers with two turbine generators. Using technology developed by a leading German firm, high temperature combustion destroys most pollutants. Additional control devices then limit further acid gas, NOx, mercury, acid gasses and particulate emissions. The plant operates 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, under strict environmental standards. It employs approximately 86 people.

In 1985, The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE), the state's environmental overseer, issued all necessary construction permits, including solid waste, air, water discharge, water allocation and stream encroachment. Construction began in February 1988. Solid waste was first burned in November 1990. Acceptance test procedures to demonstrate mechanical performance and environmental compliance were completed in 1991. In 1995, the facility received its OSHA Star facility designation.

The project's design and construction employed the largest minority business enterprise plan in New Jersey history.

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