Waste Management 2015 Annual Report Download - page 115

In addition, the following items affected comparability of 2014 to 2013 within specific segments:
• Net charges of $279 million, primarily related to impairments recognized in 2013. The most significant
impairment charges were in our Eastern Canada Area, which is included in Tier 2, and were associated
with the impairment of certain landfills as discussed above in (Income) Expense from Divestitures,
Asset Impairments (Other than Goodwill) and Unusual Items;
• The loss on the sale of our Puerto Rico operations and certain other collection and landfill assets in
2014, which were included in Tier 3 and Tier 1, respectively;
• Adverse weather in the first quarter of 2014 unfavorably affected income from operations, which
impacted all three tiers;
• The gain on the sale of certain landfill and collection operations in our Eastern Canada Area in 2014,
which were included in Tier 2;
• The accretive benefits of the RCI operations acquired in July 2013, which are included in Tier 2;
• The gain on the sale of a vacant facility in 2014, which was included in Tier 3; and
• A reversal of a reserve in 2014 due to a favorable litigation resolution, which was included in Tier 1.
Wheelabrator — The most significant items affecting the results of operations of our Wheelabrator business
in 2014 and 2013 were (i) a $519 million gain on sale of our Wheelabrator business in December 2014 and
(ii) $627 million of pre-tax charges to impair goodwill and certain waste-to-energy facilities in 2013 as discussed
above in Goodwill Impairments and (Income) Expense from Divestitures, Asset Impairments (Other than
Goodwill) and Unusual Items.
Other — Our “Other” income from operations includes (i) those elements of our landfill gas-to-energy
operations and third-party subcontract and administration revenues managed by our Energy and Environmental
Services and Renewable Energy organizations, that are not included with the operations of our reportable
segments; (ii) our recycling brokerage services and (iii) the results of investments that we are making in
expanded service offerings, such as portable self-storage, long distance moving services, and fluorescent lamp
recycling, and in oil and gas producing properties. In addition, our “Other” income from operations reflects the
results of non-operating entities that provide financial assurance and self-insurance support for our Solid Waste.
Significant items affecting the comparability for the periods presented include:
• Net charges of $66 million, $339 million, and $59 million primarily related to impairments of oil and
gas producing properties recognized in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively;
• Higher costs related to remediation services in 2015;
• The transfer of certain sales employees from our Corporate and Other segment in 2014; and
• Improved results in our Strategic Business Solutions in 2014 and 2015.
Corporate and Other — Significant items affecting the comparability for the periods presented include:
• Restructuring costs related to our August 2014 reorganization and subsequent benefits resulting from
our restructuring efforts;
• Lower medical costs in 2015 driven by lower claims and reduced headcount and higher year-over-year
costs in 2014;
• The transfer of certain sales employees to our Solid Waste and Other segments that were included in
this segment in 2014 as described above;
• Continued focus on controlling costs resulting in lower professional fees, telecommunications, contract
labor, and travel and entertainment in 2015;
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