Growth factor

Compiling this year’s list of the largest haulers in North America provided a crash course in the changing—and growing—landscape of the waste collection industry.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and strong revenue increases led to impressive growth across the industry, with the top 50 haulers bringing in a combined $68.3 billion in revenue in 2023—$14 billion more than the last time we compiled the list in 2021.

The analysts we consulted in considering the rankings insist that the industry is well-positioned for continued strong performance. Solomon Partners, a New York-based financial advisory firm, points out that the fragmented nature of many subsectors in environmental and industrial services offers ample opportunity for continued M&A activity, “both for larger strategics as well as private equity investors seeking growth platforms that can build scale through consolidation.”

You’ll find the 2024 Largest Haulers in North America list here.

"A reimagined vision," our cover story on Morristown, New Jersey-based Reworld, formerly Covanta, delves into the company’s tremendous growth and evolution. You’ll read about what the company’s new President and CEO Azeez Mohammed calls a “transformative” time in the wake of a companywide reorganization into regional teams and the integration of several acquired businesses into the portfolio.

We also explore some of the growing pains associated with expansion in a feature on Closter, New Jersey-based Filco Carting Corp., which relocated to New Jersey from Brooklyn, New York, this year. Beginning in January, Filco took over waste and recycling services for the cities of Paterson and Cresskill, New Jersey. In "Taking care of business," Joseph Monopoli, director of communications and outreach for Filco, walks haulers through the process of integrating newly acquired collection contracts, from the bidding stages to best practices for effective community engagement.

Waste Today is experiencing a moment of growth, as well, as we introduce our first landfill-focused supplement this month. The MSW Management Landfill Supplement represents an extension and expansion of the brand GIE Media acquired last year. Offering a deep dive into the landfill market, our inaugural supplement cover story provides a behind-the-scenes look at the decade-long development and permitting process for 130 Environmental Park, a mixed-use landfill development in Caldwell County, Texas.