Waste Management, Inc. Appoints Patrick DeRueda President of Recycle A

Waste Management, Inc. Appoints Patrick DeRueda President of Recycle America Alliance

    Business Editors

    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2005--

Elevates Cherie C. Rice, Vice President, Finance and Treasurer to Senior Leadership Team
    Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WMI) today announced Patrick DeRueda as the new President of Recycle America Alliance. DeRueda succeeds Steve Ragiel. He will report directly to Larry O'Donnell, Waste Management President and Chief Operating Officer, and he will be a member of the Waste Management Senior Leadership Team. Recycle America Alliance (RAA) is a majority owned subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc.
    "Pat brings a wealth of industry knowledge, experience, and leadership to the position. His professional experience, coupled with his commitment to community service and operational excellence, will only enhance the work that RAA is already doing," said O'Donnell.
    DeRueda has been with Waste Management since 2001. Most recently he was Market Area General Manager for the Company's New Mexico Market Area and led that Market Area to top performance levels in the Company.
    During his tenure at Waste Management, DeRueda has successfully directed a number of recycling programs. His experience includes oversight of Material Recovery Facilities (MRF's) in Palo Alto and San Jose, California and Tucson, Arizona, implementation of an electronics-recycling program in Palo Alto, and improving profitability of the Company's MRF in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
    "We wanted to select a leader that could bring our hauling and recycling operations into closer alignment. Clearly, Pat's experience with both recycling and hauling operations, his excellent leadership, communication and bilingual skills, and his track record of building high performance teams, will help lead RAA to the next level of performance," said O'Donnell.
    Prior to joining Waste Management, DeRueda was with BFI for 14 years, where he served in several different capacities including Corporate Safety Manager and Regional Risk Manager.
    DeRueda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Safety Studies from California State University at Los Angeles.
    The Company also announced the elevation of Cherie C. Rice, Vice President, Finance and Treasurer, Cherie C. Rice, to its Senior Leadership Team. "Cherie has been a critical member of our team, working closely with the investor community and having valuable operations experience. She is a very welcome addition to our leadership team," said Chief Executive Officer David P. Steiner.
    Rice has been with Waste Management since 1985, and has been the Company's Vice President, Finance and Treasurer since January 2004. Prior to her current role, Rice was Vice President, Investor Relations for over six years. During the course of her 20-year career with the Company, Rice held positions in Waste Management's field operations, ranging from Accounting Manager to Division and Region Controller.
    Rice will continue in her current role of Vice President, Finance and Treasurer, but now will be involved in directing the Company's overall direction and business strategy, with other senior leaders of the Company.
    Waste Management, Inc. is its industry's leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services. Based in Houston, the Company serves municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential customers throughout North America.
    Recycle America Alliance is North America's largest provider of recycling services. RAA currently operates recycling plants and provides marketing responsibility for more than 153 locations in the United States and Canada.
    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 2004 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. The following are some of the risks we face:

--	the effects competition may have on our profitability or cash flows, including the negative impact to our yield on base business resulting from price roll-backs and lower than average pricing to retain and attract customers;
--	our inability to maintain or expand margins as volumes increase if we are unable to control variable costs or our fixed cost base increases;
--	increases in employee-related costs and expenses, including health care and other employee benefits such as unemployment insurance and workers' compensation, as well as the costs and expenses associated with attracting and retaining qualified personnel;
--	possible increases in expenses due to fuel price increases or fuel supply shortages;
--	the effect that fluctuating commodity prices may have on our operating revenues and expenses;
--	the general effects of a weak economy, including the resulting decreases in volumes of waste generated;
--	the effect the weather has on our quarter to quarter results, as well as the effect of extremely harsh weather on our operations;
--	possible changes in our estimates of site remediation requirements, final capping, closure and post-closure obligations, compliance 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 as a result of shut-down operations, uncompleted development or expansion projects or other events;
--	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;
--	possible diversions of management's attention and increases in operating expenses due to efforts by labor unions to organize our employees;
--	the outcome of litigation or threatened litigation;
--	the need for additional capital if cash flows are less than we expect or capital expenditures are more than we expect, and the possibility that we cannot obtain additional capital on acceptable terms if needed;
--	possible errors or problems upon implementation of new information technology systems; and
--	possible fluctuations in quarterly results of operations or adverse impacts on our results of operations as a result of the adoption of new accounting standards or interpretations.

    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 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.

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CONTACT: Waste Management, Inc., Houston Analysts: Greg Nikkel, 713-265-1358 or Media: Heather Browne, 713-265-1514

KEYWORD: TEXAS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT CHANGES SOURCE: Waste Management, Inc.

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