El Sobrante Landfill has been honored with the 2012 Waste Management Excellence in Environmental Performance Award, according to Miriam Cardenas, the landfill’s community relations specialist.

Cardenas, speaking at the March 13 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, said the national award was created by Waste Management three years ago to acknowledge a single site and its employees for outstanding environmental performance and community service.

El Sobrante captured the award for its green initiatives that include:

• Powering 6,000 homes through its landfill-gas-to-energy facility
• Using the first hybrid bulldozer, which reduces certain pollutants by 99 percent
• Conserving 12,850,000 gallons of clean water
• Having a strong safety record with its employees
• Maintaining 688 acres of wildlife habitat to protect 31 plant and animal species

The landfill also was lauded for its outdoor education programs and tours. Since 2007 more than 2,000 students have toured the landfill and its wildlife preserve. Additionally, through a grant secured by El Sobrante, more than 500 volunteers have cleaned up 500,000 pounds of illegally dumped waste during the Temescal Valley annual community cleanups.