What Waste Management does

Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's largest provider of integrated waste and environmental services, operating since its 1968 founding with approximately 60,500 employees and a network of 262 landfills, 506 transfer facilities, and 105 recycling facilities. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, and healthcare customers across the United States and Canada through curbside collection, commercial pickup, roll-off dumpster rentals, recycling, and renewable natural gas (RNG) production from landfill gas. The June 2024 acquisition of Stericycle for $7.2 billion added regulated medical waste, OSHA/HIPAA compliance, secure document destruction (Shred-it), and pharmaceutical waste services under the WM Healthcare Solutions brand, with $250 million of projected annual synergies by 2027.

Name

Waste Management

Legal name

Waste Management Service Center, Inc.

Website

https://wm.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Waste Management is North America's largest integrated waste and environmental services provider, operating 262 landfills, 506 transfer facilities, and 105 recycling facilities across the U.S. and Canada. It serves residential, commercial, municipal, and healthcare customers through collection, disposal, recycling, RNG production, and Stericycle-acquired medical waste services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (56211), Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (5621), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

C&D Waste Collection & Hauling (BPALAJAA), C&D Waste Collection, Hauling & Container Services (Roll-off/Dumpsters) (EUAIAHAA), Hazardous Waste Landfill Disposal (BPALACAB)

Keywords

• Waste collection services
• Recycling services
• Medical waste disposal
• Landfill operations
• Renewable natural gas

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Collection and Disposal Services: Core revenue stream from municipal solid waste collection, commercial waste pickup, and landfill disposal services. Includes long-term municipal contracts, CPI-linked pricing escalators, and landfill tipping fees. Volume of approximately 506 transfer facilities, 262 landfills, and 105 recycling facilities provides network density advantage. Collection and Disposal segment achieved 6.4% EBITDA growth with 110 basis points margin expansion in Q1 2026.
2. Recycling Services: Revenue from residential and commercial recycling collection and materials processing. WM has added nearly 300,000 tons of processing capacity through new facilities. Recycling and Renewable Energy segment added $51 million in operating EBITDA despite blended recycled commodity prices falling to $65/ton from $88/ton a year earlier.
3. WM Healthcare Solutions (Stericycle Integration): Medical waste collection, transport, treatment, and disposal through Stericycle acquisition completed June 2024 for $7.2 billion. Includes regulated medical waste, OSHA/HIPAA compliance solutions, secure document destruction (Shred-it), sharps disposal, and pharmaceutical waste. Synergies from Stericycle integration projected to reach $250 million annually by 2027.
4. Renewable Natural Gas (RNG): Revenue from converting landfill gas to pipeline-quality RNG. Seven new RNG facilities came online since Q1 2025. RNG Operating EBITDA more than doubled year-over-year in Q1 2026. Projected to generate approximately $600 million in adjusted operating EBITDA in 2026.
5. Roll-Off Dumpster Rentals: One-time and project-based dumpster rental services for construction, commercial, and residential use. Sizes range from 10 to 40 cubic yards. Revenue recognized per project/transaction with pricing based on dumpster size and rental duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waste Management provides integrated environmental services across North America, including residential and commercial waste collection, roll-off dumpster rentals, recycling processing at Materials Recovery Facilities, landfill disposal, medical waste management (via WM Healthcare Solutions / Stericycle / Shred-it), and renewable natural gas production from landfill gas. The company also operates the elements sustainability analytics platform for enterprise waste optimization and reporting.

Product overview

Waste Management (WM) offers an integrated suite of environmental solutions centered on core waste collection and disposal services (residential, commercial, roll-off dumpsters), supplemented by specialized healthcare waste management through the acquired Stericycle brand, renewable natural gas production from landfill gas conversion, and advanced recycling operations at 39 Materials Recovery Facilities. The company's service portfolio is unified under the WM One Solution platform, which provides single-source access to solid waste, recycling, special waste, and hazardous waste services. Digital capabilities including the My WM customer portal and elements analytics platform complement physical operations, while strategic acquisitions of Stericycle and Shred-it have expanded WM into regulated medical waste and secure information destruction markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WM Healthcare Solutions: Healthcare waste management and environmental solutions for hospitals, clinics and outpatient facilities, including Stericycle and Shred-it services.
• elements analytics platform
• My WM
• WM Smart Truck Technology

Products and services

• Residential Waste Pickup Curbside trash and recycling pickup service for individual homeowners and renters, with 96-gallon and 64-gallon container options, online account management via My WM, and flexible scheduling with no annual contract required.
• Commercial Waste Pickup Business trash and recycling pickup services for commercial organizations, including container services, scheduled pickups, and online account management tools for small and large businesses.
• Roll-Off Dumpster Rental Temporary roll-off dumpster rentals for residential cleanouts, renovations, and construction projects, available in 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 40 cubic yard sizes with prompt delivery and online scheduling.
• Recycling Services Residential and commercial recycling programs including curbside collection, Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) processing at 105 facilities across North America, and consumer education through Recycling 101 resources.
• WM Healthcare Solutions (formerly Stericycle) Comprehensive healthcare waste management services for hospitals, clinics, and outpatient facilities, including regulated medical waste collection, transport, treatment, and disposal; OSHA and HIPAA compliance solutions; secure document destruction via Shred-it; sharps disposal; and pharmaceutical waste management.
• Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Conversion of landfill gas into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas sold into natural gas markets; WM converted 58 million MMBtu of landfill gas into energy in 2024 alone and expects seven new facilities added since Q1 2025 to drive RNG operating EBITDA to approximately $600 million in adjusted operating EBITDA in 2026.
• WM One Solution Single-source sustainability platform offering integrated waste treatment, transportation, and disposal services from solid waste and recycling to special and hazardous waste management, unifying Waste Management's full service portfolio for enterprise customers.
• elements Analytics Platform Cloud-based sustainability reporting and waste analytics platform that consolidates disposal data, converts volume to weight, and organizes information by division and material type, enabling enterprise customers to identify performance discrepancies and track progress toward zero-waste goals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Q1 2026 revenue of $6.23 billion, up 3.5% year-over-year
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seattle Public UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026Houston-based Waste Management signed a recycling processing contract with Seattle Public Utilities, ending a 20-year partnership with Republic Services subsidiary Rabanco. The new five-year contract starting April 2027 is estimated at $6.4 million and aims to improve recycling quality and environmental impact in the Seattle area.
• Weber County (Utah)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Weber County entered a 10-year lease agreement with Waste Management to operate the Weber County Transfer Station, effective July 1, ending rumors of potential closure. WM assumes responsibility for general waste collection, construction and demolition material, and household hazardous waste services, providing continuous revenue and affordable fees for residents.
• City of Sparks (Nevada)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026The City of Sparks partnered with Waste Management for trash removal services in approximately 20 smaller city parks at no additional cost to residents. The partnership is expected to save 40-50 staff hours per week initially, with potential savings of up to 160 staff hours per week as the program expands.
• Major League Baseball (MLB)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2024WM has served as Major League Baseball's official sustainability partner since April 2024. The partnership launches initiatives to increase community involvement, cut food waste, and expand recycling education at ballparks across North America. WM has expanded recycling streams to include thin plastics, textiles, batteries, and e-waste at several stadiums, and deployed over 250 Green Team volunteers to support recycling at key events including the All-Star Game and Postseason games.
• Portage (Michigan) City GovernmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste Management holds a five-year, $29 million contract with Portage, Michigan for solid waste collection services following a ballot measure that failed to rescind the city's move to a single-trash hauler system. The contract was awarded by the Portage City Council in July.
• City of Ridgeland (Mississippi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste Management has provided waste collection services to Ridgeland since October 2020 at rates of $16.10/month residential, $25.75 light commercial, and $6.54 recycling. WM declined to renew its contract (expiring September 30) and formed a committee to draft a new RFP, with WM indicating it hopes to submit a proposal for a new contract under different terms.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Republic Services: Second-largest North American integrated waste management company, directly competing with WM in municipal contracts, landfills, recycling, and commercial collection across the U.S. Both firms also compete head-to-head in municipal RFPs such as Seattle Public Utilities.
• Waste Connections: Third major North American solid waste services provider operating in 40+ states and Canada. Directly comparable to WM in collection, transfer, landfill, and recycling services with similar customer mix of municipal, commercial, and industrial accounts.
• GFL Environmental: Canadian-based diversified environmental services company with significant U.S. footprint offering solid waste, liquid waste, recycling, and soil remediation. Competes with WM in municipal contracts and commercial collection across both countries.
• Casella Waste Systems: Regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management company operating in the Northeastern U.S. Competes with WM in commercial hauling, recycling, and municipal contracts in overlapping geographies, with a comparable focus on landfill-to-resource conversion.

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: Largest North American provider of environmental and industrial services including hazardous waste management, emergency response, and industrial cleaning. Overlaps with WM's hazardous and special waste handling but with a broader industrial services portfolio.

Emerging players

• Stericycle: Regulated medical waste, secure information destruction, and compliance services company now wholly owned by WM. Previously a direct competitor in healthcare waste, now part of WM Healthcare Solutions alongside Shred-it.

Regional players

• Recology: Employee-owned waste and recycling company primarily serving the Western U.S., with strong municipal relationships in California, Oregon, and Washington. Comparable to WM in collection, recycling, and zero-waste services within a defined regional footprint.
• Biffa: UK-based integrated waste management business operating collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal services. Comparable in service portfolio and infrastructure model but does not directly overlap with WM's North American geography.
• FCC Environmental: International environmental services provider (FCC/Ambient Group) operating across Europe, the Americas, and other regions. Comparable to WM in collection, recycling, and treatment services but primarily competing outside WM's North American core.

Others

• Waga Energy: French technology company specializing in landfill gas-to-RNG conversion via its proprietary WAGABOX system. WM deployed WAGABOX at Great Oak Landfill under a 20-year partnership, making Waga Energy a key technology partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WasteManagement
• Facebookfacebook.com/WasteManagement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waste-management
• Instagraminstagram.com/wm_connects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A18 records

Investments17 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waste Management