Waste Management 2007 Annual Report Download - page 7

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Every day, each person in the United States generates an average of 4.5 pounds of garbage. What happens
to this garbage after it is thrown away? More than most people realize. At Waste Management, taking out
the trash means taking care of the environment while taking care of the neighborhoods, businesses,
and communities we serve.
We collect the waste. As the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services
in North America, Waste Management collects approximately 74 million tons of solid waste a year
from nearly 20 million residential, municipal, commercial, and industrial customers in the United States,
Canada, and Puerto Rico. Our signature green trucks run thousands of routes every day. Coast to coast,
our 354 collection operations provide services that range from residential trash pickup and curbside
recycling to comprehensive environmental solutions for large corporations with multiple locations.
Some of the waste we collect is hauled directly to nearby landfills. In larger urban markets, the volume of
waste and the distance to landfills make it more economical to take the waste to one of our 341 strategically
located transfer stations. There waste is consolidated, compacted, and loaded into long-haul trailers or railcars
to be transported to landfills or waste-to-energy facilities. This operation improves the utilization of collection
equipment by minimizing transportation time and efficiently moving large volumes of waste to disposal sites.
Not all the waste we collect goes into landfills or waste-to-energy facilities, however.
We recycle it. Waste Management is the largest provider of comprehensive recycling services in
North America, managing nearly 8 million tons of recyclable material annually, including paper, cardboard,
glass, plastics, metals, and electronics. Through our subsidiary WM Recycle America, we provide
cost-efficient, environmentally sound recycling programs for municipalities, businesses, and households
across the U.S. and Canada.
To encourage consumers to recycle and dispose of electronic devices in an environmentally responsible way,
Waste Management collaborated with Sony in 2007 to establish a national recycling program for consumer
electronics. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program allows consumers to recycle all Sony-branded products
at no charge at 75 WM Recycle America eCycling drop-off centers throughout the U.S. The program is set to
expand to at least 150 sites within a year. This is the first national recycling initiative in the U.S. to involve
both a major electronics manufacturer and a nationwide waste management company.
5
DOING WHAT COUNTS
For a Cleaner, Greener America
As our trucks wind their way through neighborhoods,
business districts, construction sites, and industrial areas,
they do more than pick up the trash. They deliver waste
solutions that combine the most advanced technology with
operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.
That’s making every mile count.