Four Waste Management Facilities in South Carolina Recognized by EPA for Environmental Programs.

Business Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2002

Four Waste Management Inc. (NYSE:WMI) facilities in South Carolina have been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track program. The EPA program recognizes businesses

"We recognize that going beyond compliance is good for business, good for the communities we serve and good for our environment," said A. Maurice Myers, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Waste Management Inc. "This recognition confirms that we are committed to creating and implementing some of the best environmental programs in the country."

The Waste Management facilities that were inducted as members of the EPA Performance Track program include: Palmetto Landfill and Recycling Center in Wellford, S.C.; Richland Landfill in Elgin, S.C.; Oakridge Landfill in Dorchester, S.C.; and Hickory Hill Landfill and Recycling Center in Ridgeland, S.C.

The four facilities were chosen for their strong records in environmental management programs that exceed legal requirements. Each facility demonstrated sustained compliance with environmental improvements over the past two years and committed to four aspects for improvement including, but not limited to: energy usage, water usage, preservation/restoration and the use of natural resources over the next three years.

In December 2000, four Waste Management facilities in California were inducted as charter members in the EPA's National Environmental Achievement Track program for their innovative environmental programs that included the use of compressed natural gas as fuel for refuse trucks, a wetlands conservation program and landfill gas recovery projects. The California Waste Management facilities included: Waste Management of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif.; Altamont Landfill near Livermore, Calif.; TriCities Waste Management Landfill in Fremont, Calif.; and Simi Valley Recycling and Disposal Facility in Simi Valley, Calif.

Waste Management Inc. is its industry's leading provider of comprehensive waste management services. Based in Houston, the Company serves municipal, commercial, industrial and residential customers throughout North America.

Certain statements contained in this press release include statements that are "forward-looking statements." Outlined below are some of the risks that the Company faces and that could affect our financial statements for 2002 and beyond and that could cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be set forth in forward-looking statements made by the Company. However, they are not the only risks that the Company faces. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know or that we currently believe are immaterial which could also impair our business. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition, the Company, from time to time, provides estimates of financial and other data relating to future periods. Such estimates and other information are the Company's expectations at the point in time of issuance but may change at some future point in time. By issuing such estimates the Company has no obligation, and is not undertaking any obligation, to update such estimates or provide any other information relating to such estimates.

-- possible changes in our estimates of site remediation requirements, final
closure and post-closure obligations, compliance and other audits and
regulatory developments;

-- the possible impact of regulations on our business, including the cost to
comply with regulatory requirements and the potential liabilities associated
with disposal operations, as well as our ability to obtain and maintain permits
needed to operate our facilities;

-- the effect of limitations or bans on disposal or transportation of
out-of-state waste or certain categories of waste;

-- possible charges against earnings for certain shut down operations and
uncompleted acquisitions or development or expansion projects;

-- possible charges to asset impairments or further impairments to long-lived
assets resulting from changes in circumstances or future business events or
decisions;

-- the effects that trends toward requiring recycling, waste reduction at the
source and prohibiting the disposal of certain types of wastes could have on
volumes of waste going to landfills and waste-to-energy facilities;

-- the effect the weather has on our quarter to quarter results, as well as the
effect of extremely harsh weather on our operations;

-- the effect that price fluctuations on commodity prices may have on our
operating revenues;

-- the outcome of litigation or investigations;

-- the effect competition in our industry could have on our ability to maintain
margins, including uncertainty relating to competition with governmental
sources that enjoy competitive advantages from tax-exempt financing and tax
revenue subsidies;

-- our ability to successfully implement our new organization plan, improve the
productivity of acquired operations and use our asset base and strategic
position to operate more efficiently;

-- our ability to accurately assess all of the pre-existing liabilities of
companies we have acquired and to successfully integrate the operations of
acquired operations with our existing operations;

-- possible diversions of management's attention and increases in operating
expenses due to efforts by labor unions to organize our employees;

-- possible increases in operating expenses due to fuel price increases or fuel
supply shortages;

-- the effects of general economic conditions, including the ability of
insurers to fully or timely meet their contractual commitments;

-- possible defaults under our credit agreements if cash flows are less than we
expect or capital expenditures are more than we expect, and the possibility
that we can not obtain additional capital on acceptable terms if needed;

-- possible errors or problems with our recently deployed new enterprise-wide
software systems;

-- the outcome of the hearing that the court will hold regarding whether the
derivative lawsuit settlement we announced on Nov. 7, 2001 is fair, reasonable
and adequate;

-- whether there will be any appeals to the approval of the class action
lawsuit settlement or to the derivative settlement, if approved; and

-- the number of objectors to the derivative settlement.

Additional information regarding these and/or other factors that could materially affect results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in Part I, Item 1 and Part II, Item 7 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2001.