same time waste streams are becoming more complex, and WCC$\text{'}$s aim is to address the current

needs, while anticipating the expanding and evolving needs of customers.

Industry

The industry has high level of competition from governmental, quasi$-$governmental and private

sources. WCC principally competes with large national waste management companies, counties

and municipalities that maintain their own waste collection and disposal operations and to a

lesser extent regional and local companies. In recent years, the industry has experienced

consolidation on a nation scale but there has been limited consolidation in our region. Regardless

the industry remains competitive resulting in pricing pressures.

Operating costs, disposal costs and collection fees have limited variation in the region. The prices

charged are determined locally, and typically vary by volume and weight, type of waste collected,

treatment requirements, risk of handling or disposal, frequency of collections, distance to final

disposal sites, the availability of airspace within the region, labor costs and amount and type of

equipment furnished to the customer. Competition is intense and is based primarily on pricing

and quality of service.

The industry is subject to extensive and evolving federal, state, or provincial and local

environmental, health, safety and transportation laws and regulations. These laws and

regulations are administered by the EPA and other federal, state, and local environmental,

zoning, transportation, land use, health, and safety agencies in the U$.$S$.$ These agencies regularly

examine industry participants operations to monitor compliance with laws and regulations and

have the power to enforce compliance, obtain injunctions or impose civil or criminal penalties in

case of violations. Significant amounts of capital expenditures are related, either directly or

indirectly, to environmental protection measures, including compliance with federal, state,

provincial and local rules.