Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. | A Waste Management Company

Wheelabrator McKay Bay Facility Excels in Safety
OSHA AWARDS ELITE VPP "STAR" CERTIFICATION

Tampa, FL-February 25, 2004 - Tampa's McKay Bay waste-to-energy facility, operated by Wheelabrator McKay Bay Inc., will be recognized on March 4th as one of the safest industrial facilities in the United States. At ceremonies in Tampa, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety, and Health Administration (OSHA) "Star" certification will be officially awarded to the recently upgraded plant. The Star certification, through OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), is the top federal safety award, honoring health and safety excellence.

Tampa's Mayor, Pam Iorio, and J. Drennan Lowell, President of Hampton, New Hampshire-based Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., will be on hand to help raise the OSHA VPP flag signifying the plant's elite new status. "This is an important achievement for the people here at Wheelabrator McKay Bay," said Lowell. "It is also another forward step in Wheelabrator's mission to have each of the plants we operate reach this level of safety excellence." Wheelabrator operates 23 independent power and waste-to-energy facilities throughout the United States. Six other Wheelabrator projects currently have been certified as Star workplaces.

Nationwide, less than one industrial facility in 7000 has qualified for this prestigious award, and only 14 Star certifications have been awarded in the industrial category to which the Wheelabrator McKay Bay facility belongs.

Wheelabrator McKay Bay Plant Manager, Mark Schwartz, commended all of his Plant's employees on reaching the safety milestone, noting, "This award is the ultimate goal of every plant in every industry. Now our people know they're working at one of the safest facilities in the country. I want to personally thank all of the employees for their hard work and dedication, without which, the distinction of receiving this prestigious recognition would not be possible."

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 OSHA standards. OSHA auditors recommend Star status after completing a comprehensive evaluation of a facility's safety program, including its managers' leadership, employee involvement, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.

The City of Tampa's McKay Bay facility is a 1000-ton-per-day municipal waste-to-energy facility opened in 1985 to serve the disposal needs of the City. The plant converts the trash into enough clean energy to supply the electricity needs of almost 20,000 homes. Wheelabrator McKay Bay Inc. is a Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. company (www.wheelabratortechnologies.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc.

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