SAUGUS — Tech Environmental, a consultant contracted by the Saugus Board of Health to monitor the WIN Waste Innovations waste-to-energy facility, has released a report concluding the plant and adjacent monofill met all compliance criteria outlined in its operating permits in 2025.
Tech Environmental submitted the report, “2025 Annual Air Monitoring Report for WIN Waste Innovations Saugus,” to the Board of Health after concluding its year-long review of the facility. The review included: the examination of reports WIN Waste submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; a comprehensive on-site examination of the operations; stack test data from April 2025; and six bi-monthly monofill inspections that included staff interviews and records reviews.
Tech Environmental’s report concluded that “in the course of the monitoring program for calendar year 2025, all evidence suggests that the facility was in compliance with its permitted conditions” and that “even under the worst-case meteorological conditions, the emissions from the WIN Waste facility will not cause adverse effects on air quality.”
“We are very pleased that Tech Environmental’s thorough review of our facility has again confirmed our compliance and the quality of our operation,” said Elliott Casey, WIN Waste plant manager. “These results affirm our commitment to provide a critical service and power generation in a way that is protective of public health and the environment.”
Highlights of Tech Environmental Report on WIN Waste Innovations
- In the course of the monitoring program for calendar year 2025, all evidence suggests that the facility was in compliance with its permitted conditions. That is not to say there were not specific deviations or operational challenges over the course of the operating year. However, the WIN Waste Innovations team has consistently reported all deviations to the MassDEP, the Town Board of Health, and Tech, filed the required reporting documentation, taken targeted mitigation measures to address operational deficiencies, and addressed staffing roles through incident reviews to improve future performance results. (Page 1).
- Over the past 14 years, Tech has visited WIN Waste extensively, conducted file reviews at MassDEP, and reviewed reports to investigate and report on facility compliance. Tech’s review is particularly related to air quality concerns, the landfill ash and cover material, and the impact of facility emissions upon public health, since we understand that these are areas of great concern for the town. (Page 2).
- Waste-to-energy facilities produce less pollution than most existing fossil fuel power plants in the United States. This is due in part to stringent air pollution control standards for large units at municipal waste combustion facilities, introduced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the 1990 Clean Air Act mandates (Page 3).
- Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) are used to monitor and record facility emissions. Tech checks the CEMS reports, which WIN Waste is required to prepare and submit on a quarterly and semi-annual basis in submittals to MassDEP. These reports summarize quarterly tests conducted to check the accuracy of the CEMS and semi-annual reports, which confirm that the CEMS demonstrate that the facility is operating in compliance with all federal and state air quality requirements. Our review of these reports demonstrated that the units are working well and that the facility has been in compliance with the regulations and requirements. (Page 7)
- Tech staff attended six (6) 2025 bi-monthly landfill operations inspections that included staff interviews, records reviews, and a complete tour of the operations. These dates were Feb. 20, April 23, June 24, Aug. 14, Oct. 2, and Dec. 10. The inspections and subsequent report reviews indicated that the landfill was being properly operated and maintained. The ash being disposed of in the landfill had an operational cover. (Page 12)
- The stack testing demonstrated that WIN Waste was in compliance with the permit limits. (Page 16)
- The results demonstrate that the facility did not cause adverse effects on air quality, even when using the worst-case operating emission rates. (Page 21)
- Recent inspections of the ash handling capability at WIN Waste by MassDEP and Tech have found that the area is well maintained and well-sealed, and that ash is not being released into the atmosphere. WIN Waste has continued on a series of improvement projects, designed to reduce the environmental impact of the facility and to assuage any fears of people in the community. (Pages 23-24)
- In the course of the monitoring program for calendar year 2025, all evidence suggests the facility was in compliance with daily operating permit requirements, recordkeeping/reporting procedures, routine monitoring, calibration checks, new permit acquisition, reporting excess emissions-related equipment malfunctions, and return to compliance measures. (Page 26)
- The results of both modeling analyses demonstrate that even under the worst-case meteorological conditions, the emissions from the WIN Waste facility will not cause adverse effects on air quality. (Page 26)
Click here to read the full report.
