GOING FROM WASTE COLLECTION
TO WASTE MANAGEMENT
How we became North America's largest environmental solutions provider
FORWARD THINKING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
We’re so used to today’s sanitation standards, it can be easy to forget about how far we've come with waste collection. But it wasn’t that long ago that the handling of trash was inconsistent and resulted in unsightly piles lining city streets and sidewalks.
That started to change in 1893 when a Dutch immigrant named Harm Huizenga began collecting trash in Chicago for a small fee. With little more than a modest wagon, he built up a reliable client base over the years by effectively managing the waste of a rapidly changing society.
But in the post-war period, something happened that most waste providers weren’t ready for: a shift toward disposable products that were designed to make lives simpler.
BORN OUT OF A DESIRE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
In 1968, Harm's grandson Wayne Huizenga and two other investors, Dean Buntrock and Larry Beck, had a vision. They wanted to serve their community by properly managing the waste produced by a rapidly growing population consuming more and more products built for convenience.
A COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
In the 1970s, Americans started to embrace a more environmentally friendly mindset. Waste Management was already professionally and responsibly disposing of waste, and we expanded our commitment to the environment by beginning to address complex specialized waste.
A PASSION FOR REUSE
By 1982 Waste Management had become the world’s largest waste disposal company, with more than $1 billion in sales. We were one of the first truly integrated waste companies, not only collecting waste but responsibly managing the landfills it ends up in. And we were also one of the first to recognize the burgeoning recycling movement, building robust collection, materials recovery and materials marketing infrastructures to ensure that more of our waste finds a second life.
OUR HISTORY AT A GLANCE
Waste Management became a public company in 1972
$1 Billion in sales by 1982
1,000 acquisitions by 1990
FULFILLING OUR PROMISE EVERY DAY
Today, we're changing waste collection, creating alternative fuels, and forging a more sustainable tomorrow for all of us.
While this is our story, it’s not the end. We’re writing new chapters every day with our pursuit of solutions for planet-wide issues. But we always remember the guiding principle that took us from the cobblestone streets of Chicago to your street: to provide the most consistent service in the industry.
OUR CONTINUING EFFORTS
A tangible look at how we're improving the lives of our customers.
21 MILLION
municipal, commercial and industrial customers
45,000
EMPLOYEES
at North America's largest environmental solutions provider and recycler
$500M+
alternative technology investment in over 100 companies
750,000
ATTENDEES
at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the most eco-friendly sporting event in the world
6,500
(AND COUNTING)
alternative fuel vehicles on the road
Anthony Altemoos