Mars Makes Something Sweet with Landfill Gas

In May 2008, the Mars Snackfood US factory in Waco, Texas, started fueling its boilers with methane piped in from the Waco Regional Landfill. The company will use landfill gas to power two furnaces that create steam for the plant’s candy-making operations. The nearly 30-year-old Waco plant, which employs more than 560, makes the popular Snickers, Starburst and Skittles candies.

The methane – an odorless, flammable byproduct of decaying matter – is harvested through 56 wells punched into the landfill. It then is piped some five miles to the candy factory. It will replace 60 percent of the natural gas the factory was using to generate steam for cooking, hot water and humidity control. The switch will save a projected $600,000 in gas costs a year, while ridding the landfill of explosive gas and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, Mars officials said. The energy from the landfill would be enough to heat 2,700 homes.

In addition to saving the company money, the project will also reduce more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which has the same environmental impact of avoiding the emissions of 1,900 cars. “Turning waste into energy is a smart strategy for business and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “EPA is pleased to be working with partners like Mars Snackfood on innovative projects like this one that deliver clean, renewable sources of energy.”

“More than being a decision about the bottom line, this project is about taking responsibility for the future – for our business, for our Associates and their children, for our community, and definitely for our environment. And the story today is not simply about Mars alone. It is a story of deep commitment and concern by multiple partners at every level in government in Texas. Again, I congratulate our partners in government, especially the City of Waco, the County of McLennan and the EPA, for their visionary leadership and dedication to a sustainable future for all,” said MARS Snackfood US President Todd Lachman.

Mars has spent less than $1 million to build new pipes on-site and to retrofit its boilers to use the landfill gas.

Learn more at EPA and Waco Tribune.

Read about more companies using energy from landfills.