WM is committed to serving as a good neighbor to the communities we serve, and we continue to demonstrate this commitment by engaging meaningfully with stakeholders and treating the communities we serve with fairness, integrity and respect.

In 2024, WM conducted an assessment targeted at evaluating the impact of WM policies and practices on stakeholders, employees and the communities in which we operate. The findings underscored WM’s commitment to operating with consciousness of the impact operations may have on surrounding communities. In addition, the assessment recognized WM’s investments in transparency and building positive relationships, further positioning WM as a good neighbor.

Utilizing data is essential to establishing transparency and building trust and accountability amongst stakeholders. WM will continue to leverage data to proactively monitor our impact on and engagement within the communities we serve. Click here to learn more about our broader community initiatives.

Community Analysis

Since 2010, WM has conducted periodic reviews of community data by analyzing the income and race demographics of residents in proximity to our facilities.

To help better understand the demographics of communities surrounding our facilities, we have used several datasets, including the U.S. Census, EPA’s previously available Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping (EJSCREEN) tool, and open-source data from Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), a leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence and mapping.

The charts below display the percentage of WM sites related to two demographic characteristics within a one-kilometer radius: percentage minority or non-minority populations, and households above or below low-income thresholds, as defined by U.S. EPA’s former EJSCREEN tool.

The data presented below was updated at the beginning of 2024 with the datasets available through ESRI, EPA’s former EJSCREEN tool and the 2020 U.S. Census.