Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. | A Waste Management Company

Anderson, CA, July 11, 2007 -Today, the Wheelabrator Lassen Inc. and Wheelabrator Shasta Energy Company Inc. hosted a celebratory dinner and flag raising ceremony to officially recognize their designation as STAR worksites by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA).

STAR status is the highest recognition given by Cal/OSHA through the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and is awarded to facilities for outstanding and effective health and safety systems and processes. The Lassen and Shasta facilities are two of only 46 sites in the entire state of California that have achieved the award.

With its Shasta and Lassen facilities receiving the awards, Wheelabrator has achieved its goal of having all 21 of its energy facilities certified as VPP Star worksites. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that VPP Star worksites have injury and illness rates 50 to 60 percent below the industry average. VPP participant sites also report from 60 to 80 percent fewer lost workday injuries than would be expected of an average site of the same size in their industries.

To qualify for STAR status, a worksite must have a three-year average injury rate below that of its industry average, and must have demonstrated safety programs that greatly exceed Cal/OSHA standards. And of the 7 million worksites in the entire United States subject to federal and state safety rules, less than 1,800 have been certified as VPP facilities; that’s less than one out of every 5,000 worksites. Only nine other companies in the country have more facilities than Wheelabrator certified as VPP Star facilities.

Wheelabrator employees joined local and state officials as well as representatives from Cal/OSHA for a dinner reception at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding at then traveled to both the Lassen and Shasta facilities for the flag raising ceremony.

“Few companies place employee safety and health at the cornerstone of operations,” said George Woodward, Wheelabrator Shasta and Lassen Plant Manager. “This award shows that our employees are voluntarily dedicated to safety and have created a culture of responsibility. We are extremely proud of them, and of this national honor.”

Speakers at the event included Anderson, CA, mayor Keith Webster; Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa; and Cal/OSHA Consultation Regional Manager Mike Alvarez who presented the flags to Woodward.

Wheelabrator Shasta and Wheelabrator Lassen are owned and operated by Hampton, New Hampshire-based Wheelabrator Technologies. Wheelabrator is a wholly owned subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas.

About Wheelabrator Shasta
Wheelabrator Shasta Energy Company is one of northern California's most modern, independent wood-fired power plants. Located in Anderson, California, the plant processes 750,000 tons of mill waste and forest residues from Shasta County and surrounding areas into clean, renewable energy. The plant produces over 375 million kWh of electricity per year for sale to a local utility and incorporates some of the latest emissions control features, including staged overfire air in specially shaped furnaces, a selective non-catalytic reduction system for control of ozone-forming nitrogen oxides, and a zero water discharge system by use of staged cooling towers.

About Wheelabrator Lassen
Wheelabrator Lassen Inc. is a 43-megawatt, gas-fired cogeneration facility located in Anderson, California at Simpson Paper Company's Shasta Mill. The facility sells all of its electric output, enough energy to supply the needs of almost 40,000 homes, to a local utility. Process steam from the plant used to produce distilled water that is sold to a water company. The Lassen cogeneration power plant includes one gas turbine with a heat recovery boiler. This combination provides maximum system efficiency while minimizing fuel consumption and environmental impacts. For more information contact: George Woodward Plant Manager Wheelabrator Shasta 530-339-7600 gwoodward@wm.com

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