Our Story
Always Working For A Sustainable Tomorrow®
From "Waste Management" to WM, our company has evolved from waste services provider to sustainability leader.
We’re so used to today’s sanitation standards, it can be easy to forget 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 to Serve the 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.
Committed to the Environment
In the 1970s, Americans started to embrace a more environmentally friendly mindset. WM was already responsibly disposing of waste, and we expanded our commitment to the environment by beginning to address complex specialized waste. By 1982, WM was the world’s largest waste disposal company, driving the industry toward sustainable waste management practices.
Invested in the Future
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.
Writing the Story of a Sustainable World
The story of WM is always evolving. Innovative recycling technologies, renewable energy breakthroughs and strengthened communities are some of the chapters we've written, and they're only the beginning.
Watch to see how WM is Working Together, For Tomorrow®.
