Waste Management 2007 Annual Report Download - page 40

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The following table reflects landfill capacity and airspace changes, as measured in tons of waste, for landfills
owned or operated by us during the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 (in millions):
Remaining
Permitted
Capacity
Expansion
Capacity
Total
Capacity
Remaining
Permitted
Capacity
Expansion
Capacity
Total
Capacity
December 31, 2007 December 31, 2006
Balance, beginning of year . . 3,760 959 4,719 3,460 1,196 4,656
Acquisitions, divestitures,
newly permitted landfills
and closures ........... (5) (15) (20) 4 — 4
Changes in expansions
pursued ............... — 60 60 — 103 103
Expansion permits granted. . . 128 (128) — 387 (387) —
Airspace consumed ........ (114) — (114) (126) — (126)
Changes in engineering
estimates and other(a) .... 18 17 35 35 47 82
Balance, end of year ....... 3,787 893 4,680 3,760 959 4,719
(a) Changes in engineering estimates can result in changes to the estimated available remaining capacity of a
landfill or changes in the utilization of such landfill capacity, affecting the number of tons that can be placed in
the future. Estimates of the amount of waste that can be placed in the future are reviewed annually by our
engineers and are based on a number of factors, including standard engineering techniques and site-specific
factors such as current and projected mix of waste type; initial and projected waste density; estimated number of
years of life remaining; depth of underlying waste; and anticipated access to moisture through precipitation or
recirculation of landfill leachate. We continually focus on improving the utilization of airspace through efforts
that include recirculating landfill leachate where allowed by permit; optimizing the placement of daily cover
materials; and increasing initial compaction through improved landfill equipment, operations and training.
The number of landfills we own or operate as of December 31, 2007, segregated by their estimated operating
lives (in years), based on remaining permitted and expansion airspace and projected annual disposal volume was as
follows:
0 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 40 41+ Total
Owned/operated through lease .............. 19 25 48 72 78 242
Operating contracts ...................... 14 4 8 5 4 35
Total landfills .......................... 33 29 56 77 82 277
The volume of waste that we received in 2007 was lower than in 2006, primarily as a result of pricing
competition and a slow down in residential construction, which are discussed in the Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section of this report. The tons received at our landfills in
2007 and 2006 are shown below (in thousands):
#of
Sites
Total
Tons
Tons
per Day
#of
Sites
Total
Tons
Tons
per Day
2007 2006
Solid waste landfills ................. 271(a) 113,449 417 277 125,528 461
Hazardous waste landfills ............. 6 1,473 5 6 1,287 5
277 114,922 422 283 126,815 466
Solid waste landfills closed or divested
during related year ................. 8 1,555 4 1,287
116,477(b) 128,102(b)
5