SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): WM has officially inaugurated a new $50 million renewable natural gas (RNG) production facility in Opelika, Alabama, marking a significant investment in sustainable energy growth. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to generate around 750,000 MMBtu of RNG annually—enough to fuel part of WM’s heavy-duty natural gas collection fleet and supply energy to surrounding communities. According to the company, the project is expected to eliminate more than 40,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
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WM currently owns or operates over 20 RNG facilities nationwide that convert landfill gas into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas. The newly launched Opelika facility—also referred to as the Salem RNG facility—will process landfill gas captured from the WM Salem Landfill and inject it directly into natural gas pipelines for community energy use.
The launch supports WM’s previously announced commitment to invest more than $1.6 billion between 2022 and 2026 to construct 20 additional WM-owned RNG plants. The initiative underscores the company’s goal to scale renewable energy infrastructure and reduce emissions through advanced landfill gas-to-energy technologies.
Eddie McManus, Area Vice President for WM Mid-South, highlighted the project’s economic and environmental benefits, stating that expanding renewable energy solutions in Alabama and the Mid-South plays a key role in WM’s long-term sustainability vision. He noted that the facility will create jobs while enhancing capabilities to capture and convert landfill gas into clean energy.