Featured Member: Casella
Featured Member, Casella, is a name most North Country residents know well, but the full story of what this company does for our region, and for the environment, goes far deeper than the trucks you see rolling down the road each week.
A Company Built on Resourcefulness
Founded in Rutland, Vermont in 1975 by Doug Casella, with his brother John joining just a year later, Casella has grown from a small family operation into one of the most recognized waste and resource management companies on the eastern seaboard. Today the company employs more than 5,000 people and operates landfills, recycling facilities, transfer stations, and hauling divisions across the region. Its services span collection, recycling, organics management, food waste diversion, and energy recovery, making it one of the most vertically integrated solid waste companies in the country. While the company’s primary footprint runs from New England down through West Virginia, Casella has a presence in 48 states, supporting diversion and sustainability programs at institutions across the country.
Bethlehem, NH: More Than a Landfill
Casella’s Bethlehem facility, located at 581 Trudeau Road, is operated with a philosophy that goes well beyond simply managing waste. Division Manager Marc Morgan, who brings nearly three decades of public sector experience to the role including serving as New Hampshire’s state Recycling Coordinator and managing landfills for the cities of Lebanon and Nashua, joined Casella almost four years ago because the company’s mission aligned with his own values. Raised on a New Hampshire farm, Morgan describes his career as rooted in a deeply personal commitment to environmental stewardship.
“The idea of taking care of creation was something instilled in me at an early age,” Morgan said. “This is a personal passion of mine that I personally take very seriously.”
That philosophy is visible in how the Bethlehem facility operates. Rather than simply landfilling materials like wood waste, the team identifies higher and better uses: grinding it down for use as road base or other beneficial applications within the facility. It is the kind of approach that defines Casella’s broader mission of treating waste not as a problem to bury, but as a resource to manage wisely.
Turning Landfill Gas into Renewable Energy
One of the most remarkable programs at the Bethlehem facility is its landfill gas capture operation. As organic material decomposes, it produces landfill gas that is roughly half methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Rather than simply flaring that gas off, Casella captures it and sends it to an adjacent gas plant where it is processed into renewable natural gas. That gas is then put into tankers or pipelines and used as vehicle fuel or heating fuel throughout New England. It is a closed-loop model that transforms a byproduct of decomposition into clean, usable energy.
Growing Food and Community from the Ground Up
Another standout initiative is the Casella greenhouse, developed in partnership with North Country Charter Academy. The greenhouse is heated by a heat exchange loop that draws warmth directly from the decomposition process happening beneath the landfill, channeling it through piping under the greenhouse floor and into the adjacent maintenance garage. Inside, students and staff grow fresh produce, including lettuce, that is donated to area food pantries to help address food insecurity in the North Country. The program doubles as a hands-on learning opportunity for students interested in horticulture, cooking, and agriculture. Morgan noted that the first harvest of lettuce from the greenhouse was distributed the very day of this interview.
Get Involved: Littleton Community Cleanup Day, May 16
This month, Casella is proud to be a key partner in the Littleton Community Cleanup Day, taking place on Friday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at Apthorp Commons on Carleton Street. Organized in collaboration with Friends of Remich Park and Littleton Parks and Recreation, this is the fifth year Casella has brought community partners together for a hands-on cleanup effort. This year’s event will also draw participation from Bank of New Hampshire, Mascoma Bank, Badger Peabody Smith, White Horse Recovery, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, North Country Charter Academy students, and volunteers from area school districts.
All supplies will be provided. No experience or equipment necessary, just a willingness to show up and take care of this beautiful place we all call home. The morning wraps up with a community BBQ, so come ready to work and stay to celebrate. Registration and event details are available on the Friends of Remich Park Facebook event page.
To learn more about Casella’s services, the Bethlehem facility, or upcoming community events, visit casella.com or call the Bethlehem location directly.
