Waste Management Services Industry Profile

Companies in this industry collect, treat, and dispose of garbage and other waste materials, recover reusable materials through recycling operations, and provide remediation services for decontaminating buildings, mine sites, soil, or groundwater. Major companies include Waste Management, Republic Services, and Advanced Disposal Services (all based in the US); SUEZ and Veolia Environnement (France); and Waste Connections (Canada).

The global waste and recycling industry collects more than 11 billion tons of solid waste and generates more than $400 billion in revenue each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The waste management services industry is largest in developed nations that consume more resources and generate more waste.

The US waste management industry includes about 25,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $95 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand depends on the volume of waste generated, which depends on economic conditions and consumer spending. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations, because the service is a commodity sold based on price. Big companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing equipment and establishing networks of facilities. Small companies can compete successfully by offering specialized services or serving local markets. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about half of revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Waste collection services account for about half of US industry revenue; other major services include waste treatment and disposal (about 20%) and remediation ...