Universal Waste Systems

What Universal Waste Systems does

Universal Waste Systems, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned waste management and recycling company founded in 1986 and headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California. The company is operated by three generations of the Blackburn family, who oversee each division and department, and combines over 120 years of stated industry experience across the family. Its operating geography spans the Southwestern United States, with residential collection serving more than 40 city franchises across California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and it is the contracted residential hauler for unincorporated Sandoval County, New Mexico.

The company's core offering is residential and commercial waste collection (curbside trash and recycling on weekly schedules), augmented by an extensive ancillary portfolio: roll-off dumpster rentals in multiple sizes (2-8, 10, 30, and 40 yard), full-service junk removal with volume-based pricing, a full line of portable sanitation equipment (standard, VIP, executive, wheelchair-accessible portable toilets, hand washing stations, holding tanks, grease interceptors, trailer-mounted restrooms), septic and sewer services (clarifier pumping, sewer jetting, speed rooter, septic pumping), and a green waste processing facility. The technology stack is described as standard waste management operations with EPA Section 608 compliant refrigerant handling for appliances integrated into standard pickup service.

Universal Waste Systems generates revenue through a hybrid model: recurring monthly subscriptions for residential franchise collection (annuity base), plus transaction-based pricing for dumpster rentals, junk removal (volume-based, quarter/half/three-quarter/full-load tiers), portable sanitation, and septic/sewer work. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer via phone (888-726-0027), online quote request forms, and an epay portal for existing customers, supplemented by location-specific SEO content and a company blog. Customer mix is predominantly residential long-tail (40+ franchises) and project-based commercial/industrial (e.g., construction firms like Fahrion Group Investments with 25+ year relationships), with no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Universal Waste Systems

Legal name

Universal Waste Systems, Inc.

Website

https://uwscompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Universal Waste Systems is a family-owned waste management and recycling company founded in 1986, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers across California, Arizona, and New Mexico with trash collection, dumpster rentals, portable sanitation, and sewer services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Other Waste Collection (562119), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Family / HOA MSW Collection (Apartments, Condos) (EUAIAAAJ), Hazardous Waste & Universal Waste Handling (Batteries, Lamps, Aerosols) (BPABALAE)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Portable sanitation rentals
• Dumpster rental services
• Residential recycling collection
• Commercial waste hauling

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Junk Removal Services: Full-service junk removal with volume-based pricing where cost reflects how much truck space the load fills. Crew handles all lifting, loading, and hauling from the property.
2. Dumpster Rental: Roll-off dumpster rental services in multiple sizes (2-8 yard, 10 yard, 30 yard, 40 yard). Flat-rate rental with disposal costs folded into the price.
3. Residential Waste Collection: Recurring residential trash and recycling services across city franchises, serving over 40+ city franchises with weekly pickup schedules.
4. Commercial and Industrial Services: Ongoing commercial waste collection and recycling services for businesses, construction sites, and industrial facilities.
5. Portable Sanitation Services: Rental and servicing of portable toilets, hand washing stations, and holding tanks for construction sites and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Universal Waste Systems provides waste collection, recycling, and portable sanitation services to residential, commercial, industrial, construction, and event customers across California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Offerings include weekly curbside residential trash and recycling under municipal franchises, scheduled commercial and industrial collection and recycling programs, roll-off dumpster rentals in multiple sizes, full-service junk removal, portable toilet and hand washing station rentals, and sewer and septic services such as clarifier pumping, sewer jetting, and rooter work.

Product overview

Universal Waste Systems is a family-owned waste management company founded in 1986, offering a comprehensive portfolio of waste and sanitation services across California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The company operates three generations of the Blackburn family and combines over 120 years of industry experience. The product portfolio centers on core waste collection services (residential trash, commercial/industrial waste, and recycling programs) augmented by a full line of portable sanitation equipment (standard, VIP, executive, and wheelchair-accessible portable toilets; hand washing stations; holding tanks; grease interceptors; and trailer-mounted restrooms), septic and sewer services (clarifier pumping, sewer jetting, speed rooter, and septic services), and ancillary offerings including green waste facility processing, dumpster rentals in multiple sizes (2-8, 10, 30, and 40 yard), bulk trash pickup, and full-service junk removal with same-day availability. The company serves markets across the Southwest region including service locations in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Trash Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day and next-day removal available in many cases
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management, Inc. Largest North American waste and recycling services company. Directly competes with UWS for municipal franchises, commercial accounts, and roll-off dumpster business across California, Arizona, and New Mexico, but at vastly greater scale and with national pricing leverage.
• Republic Services: Second-largest U.S. solid waste hauler. Competes head-to-head with UWS for municipal collection contracts and commercial/industrial customers in the Southwest, offering broader recycling and disposal infrastructure.
• Waste Connections: Large North American solid waste services platform with significant Southwest operations. Competes for municipal and commercial accounts and has been an active acquirer of smaller regional haulers that compete with UWS.

Direct peers

• CR&R Environmental Services: Southern California-based integrated waste services company providing residential, commercial, and industrial collection plus organics processing. Closely comparable to UWS in service mix, geography, and mid-sized regional positioning.
• Athens Services: Family-owned Southern California hauler offering residential, commercial, recycling, and construction debris services. Direct comparable to UWS in ownership profile, service breadth, and California franchise footprint.
• Burrtec Waste Industries: California-based, family-oriented waste hauler serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers with multiple operating divisions. Highly comparable to UWS in regional focus and family-owned culture.
• EDCO Disposal Corporation: Southern California waste and recycling company serving residential and commercial customers, including several municipalities. Direct competitor in UWS's home market with overlapping service lines.
• United Site Services: Largest U.S. provider of portable sanitation services for construction sites and events. Direct competitor to UWS's portable toilet, hand-wash, and holding tank business lines, particularly in California.

Emerging players

• Liquid Environmental Solutions: National provider of grease trap and liquid waste services for commercial kitchens. Overlaps with UWS's grease interceptor and clarifier pumping offerings in the Southwest.
• 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: Largest franchised junk removal brand in North America. Direct competitor to UWS's full-service junk removal line, with a comparable volume-based pricing model and same-day availability positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uwscompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/UWSCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universalwastesystems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Universal Waste Systems