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Goals & Progress

Environmental Goal

Our overarching environmental goal is to reduce GHG emissions while protecting the environment. Currently, the services we provide avoid three times (3X) more GHG emissions than we generate in our operations. Our 2038 goal calls for reducing even more GHG emissions—four times (4X) the GHG emissions we generate through our operations. All of our environmental goals contribute to this overarching goal of emitting less and reducing, avoiding and offsetting more. To achieve this goal, our strategy is to reduce emissions from our landfills, fleet and electricity use, while increasing the emissions-avoidance services that we provide to our customers. Between now and 2038, the bar above the zero line will decrease as we reduce operational emissions, while the bar below the zero line will increase.

How We Measure Our 4X Goal
Million MTCO2e

Bar chart showing how we measures our 4X Goal from 2017 through 2019 with our 2038 goal.

Progress to Achieving Our 4X Goal

Bar chart showing Waste Management's Progress to Achieving our 4X from 2017 to 2019 with our goal for 2038

Community Goal

Waste Management aspires to make the communities where we live and work safe, resilient and sustainable. We are investing in a quieter, cleaner fleet; supporting programs that preserve biodiversity and conservation; continuing our programs that prioritize community safety; and organizing environmental education programs and activities, including facility tours, community events and social media engagement campaigns.

Participants in WM Supported/Hosted
Education Events and Programs

Bar chart showing the number of participants in WM supported/hosted education events and programs

In 2019, Waste Management committed to
six goals:

70%
of collection fleet to be alternative
fuel vehicles

Bar chart showing Waste Management's progress on our alternative fuel vehicle goal from 2016 to 2019 with our 2025 goal

10%
inbound recycling contamination at our MRFs

Bar chart showing Waste Management's progress on our inbound recycling contamination goal at our MRFs from 2016 to 2019 with our 2025 goal

50%
of alternative fuel vehicles to run
on renewable natural gas

Bar chart showing Waste Management's progress on our renewable natural gas alternative fuel vehicle goal from 2016 to 2019 with our 2025 goal

100%
renewable energy at WM controlled sites

Develop
fugitive emissions measurement systems

100%
of WM employees paid
a Living Wage

GHG Emissions Associated with Operations (MMTCO2e)1

Landfill2

Bar chart showing Waste Management's GHG Emissions associated with landfills from 2016 through 2019

Collection Fleet3

Bar chart showing Waste Management's GHG Emissions associated with our collection fleet from 2016 through 2019

*This is a 45% reduction in fleet emissions from the
base year, 2010.

Electricity4

Bar chart showing Waste Management's GHG Emissions associated with electricity usage from 2016 through 2019

Other Energy Use5

Bar chart showing Waste Management's GHG Emissions associated with other energy use from 2016 through 2019

GHG Emissions Avoided (MMTCO2e)6

Renewable
Energy Generation7

Bar chart showing Waste Management's Renewable Energy Generation from 2016 to 2019 with our 2038 goal

Recycling
of Materials8

Bar chart showing Waste Management's Recycling of Materials from 2016 to 2019 with our 2038 goal

Carbon Permanently
Sequestered

Bar chart showing Waste Management's Carbon Permanently Sequestered from 2016 to 2019

Supply Chain

Diverse Supplier Spend
In Millions

Bar chart showing Waste Management's diverse supplier spend in millions from 2016 to 2019 with the 2020 forecast

Target: 10% year-over-year growth in
annual spend with diverse suppliers

Sustainable Supplier Spend
In Millions

Bar chart showing Waste Management's Supply Chain costs in 2019 and our 2038 goal

Target: 10% increase in annual
spend on sustainability-related
products and services

Inclusion & Diversity

Ethnic Diversity9
%

Bar chart showing Waste Management's percentage of ethnic diversity in 2018, 2019, and in Peer Industries

Female Representation10
%

Bar chart showing Waste Management's percentage of female representation in 2018, 2019, and the U.S. Workforce

Social Impact

Number of Wildlife
Habitat Programs

Bar chart showing Waste Management's number of wildlife habitat programs from 2016 to 2019

Charitable Giving11
In Millions

Bar chart showing Waste Management's charitable giving in millions from 2016 to 2019

Community Events
Supported/Hosted

Bar chart showing Waste Management's community events supported/hosted from 2018 to 2019

Safety Performance

Total Recordable Incident Rate
Incidents per 100 Full-Time Employees per Year

Line chart showing Waste Management's Total Recordable Incident Rate from 2016 to 2019

Vehicle Accident Recordable Rate12
Driver Hours Without a Vehicle-on-Vehicle Accident, in Thousands

Line chart showing Waste Management's Vehicle Accident Recordable Rate (VARR) from 2016 to 2019
  1. These four graphs represent 100% of Waste Management’s Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas inventory, which is third-party verified and reported to CDP. These emissions make up the numerator portion of our environmental goal to reduce, avoid or offset four times the emissions we generate in our operations, represented in the part of the 2019 bar chart that is above the 0 line of the How We Measure Our 4X Goal infographic. For a discussion of the protocols that govern these calculations, please visit our ESG Resource Hub, Carbon Footprint Calculation Methodology.

    We use the modified 100-year global warming potentials (GWPs) promulgated by the U.S. EPA. Pertinent to our carbon footprint, our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions calculations use the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (FAR) GWP. However, prior to 2019 our Scope 2 emissions from purchased electricity used the IPCC Second Assessment Report (SAR) GWP.
  2. Our landfill emissions are from both active and closed facilities. The amount of landfill gas that is collected can be measured; the amount of landfill gas generated and the amount emitted to the atmosphere as fugitive emissions must be estimated using prescribed calculation methodologies. The applicable methodologies are the Solid Waste Industry for Climate Solutions (SWICS) Protocol and the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) rules.
  3. The methodology for calculating fleet emissions conforms to U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Truck Tool. SmartWay calculations use records compiled for tax credit and fee purposes. The tax documentation reflects fuel purchased in a year, including some insignificant amounts of fuel stored rather than used in a given year. The graph excludes biogenic emissions, as per The Greenhouse Protocol. Biogenic emissions are reported separately.

    Note that in previous reports, this graph was named “Transportation” and emissions included those from both our collection fleet and our non-collection “yellow iron” (i.e., off-road equipment such as forklifts and excavators) used on site. These emissions have been moved to “Other Energy Use” to more clearly track progress on our collection fleet goals.
  4. Emissions in this graph were previously reported in a graph named “Energy Use,” which included all non-transportation energy use. We have separated electricity emissions (Scope 2) from other energy use (Scope 1) because they are different scopes and to more clearly show progress toward our goal to purchase 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
  5. This graph includes emissions from our “yellow iron” (i.e., off-road equipment such as forklifts and excavators), heating fuel, jet fuel, propane, and a small amount of other fuels. Emissions in this graph were previously reported in a graph named “Energy Use”, which included all non-transportation energy use. We have separated electricity emissions (Scope 2) from other energy use (Scope 1).
  6. These emissions make up the denominator portion of our environmental goal to reduce, avoid or offset four times the emissions we generate in our operations, represented in the part of the 2019 bar chart that is below the 0 line of the How We Measure Our 4X Goal infographic. For a discussion of the protocols that govern these calculations, please visit our ESG Resource Hub, Carbon Footprint Calculation Methodology.

    We are reporting this data to inform our customers and the public about the potential GHG reduction benefits associated with carbon storage in landfills, our renewable energy production and the value of the recyclable materials we collect and process. We are not presuming to characterize how emerging regulatory programs will allocate credit for these avoided emissions, so we do not claim these GHG reduction benefits as our own nor attempt to deduct these reductions from our carbon footprint.
  7. At 124 of our landfills, Waste Management captures the methane for beneficial use, recognized by the U.S. EPA as a renewable energy resource.
  8. The U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) is used to calculate the life cycle GHG emission benefits from recycling. Note that instead of using the WARM “national average landfill” defaults, WM uses company-specific settings to account for our own landfill gas-to-energy capacity. Additionally, the increase in emissions reductions realized by recycling does not correspond arithmetically to the increase in total tons recycled. That is because, for example, paper recycling (80% of all recyclables) achieves very high emissions reductions, while the emissions reduction potential associated with glass recycling (20% of recyclables) is nominal on a per ton basis.
  9. Waste Management aims to achieve ethnic diversity in each segment of our workforce, with emphasis on leadership, that is greater to or equal to that of the U.S. workforce standards. U.S. workforce averages are from the most recent data available, based on 2018 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports data.
  10. Waste Management aims to lead the industry in female representation at all levels with a special emphasis on frontline employees and women in leadership. Industry averages are from the most recent data available, based on 2018 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports.
  11. Due to the extraordinary devastation caused by hurricanes in the fall of 2017, Waste Management donated $3 million to Hurricane Harvey aid relief and $1 million to Hurricane Irma recovery efforts.
  12. We have adjusted all years after 2016 to exclude “Other Vehicle Initiated Impact” incidents.

How We Measure Our 4X Goal
Million MTCO2e

Current and Targeted Emissions Generated:

Emissions Avoided By the Services We Provide:

Progress to Achieving Our 4X Goal

Progress to Achieving Our 4X Goal

70%
of collection fleet to be alternative
fuel vehicles

10%
inbound recycling contamination at our MRFs

50%
of alternative fuel vehicles to run
on renewable natural gas

Landfill2

Collection Fleet3

*This is a 45% reduction in fleet emissions from the base year, 2010.

Electricity4

Other Energy Use5

Renewable
Energy Generation7

Recycling
of Materials8

Carbon Permanently
Sequestered

Diverse Supplier Spend
In Millions

Target: 10% year-over-year growth in annual spend with diverse suppliers

Diverse Supplier Spend
In Millions

Ethnic Diversity9
%

Executive

Managers

Professionals

Operatives & Craft Workers

All Workforce

Female Representation10
%

Executive

Managers

Professionals

Operatives & Craft Workers

All Workforce

Number of Wildlife
Habitat Programs

Charitable Giving11
In Millions

Community Events
Supported/Hosted

Total Recordable Incident Rate
Incidents per 100 Full-Time Employees per Year

Vehicle Accident Recordable Rate12
Driver Hours Without a Vehicle-on-Vehicle Accident, in Thousands