Back to GetFilings.com

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004

OR

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number 0-22417

WASTE INDUSTRIES USA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

3301 BENSON DRIVE, SUITE 601

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27609

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

REGISTRANT’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (919) 325-3000

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OF THE ACT: None

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(G) OF THE ACT:

Common Stock (no par value per share)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  x

Indicate by check mark whether registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).    Yes  ¨    No  x

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant based upon the closing price of the common stock on June 30, 2004, on the NASDAQ National Market System was approximately $63,897,741 as of such date. Shares of common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each person who owns 10% or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status may not be conclusive for other purposes.

As of April 13, 2005, the registrant had outstanding 13,669,790 shares of common stock.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2005 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated herein by reference into Part III.

Table of Contents

NOTE RELATING TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements and other statements made elsewhere by us or our representatives, which are identified or qualified by words such as “likely,” “will,” “suggests,” “expects,” “may,” “believe,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “anticipates,” “plans” or similar expressions, are based on a number of assumptions. Actual events or results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including those set forth herein and in our other SEC filings and including, in particular: weather conditions; legal proceedings; economic conditions; our ability to manage growth; the availability and integration of acquisition targets; competition; geographic concentration; and government regulation. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this report and we undertake no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

Table of Contents

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION

Our website address is www.waste-ind.com. We make available free of charge through our website our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Waste Industries USA, Inc. is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. We provide solid waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services to commercial, industrial and residential customer locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. Our principal operations as of December 31, 2004 consisted of 34 collection operations, 25 transfer stations, approximately 90 county convenience drop-off centers, 11 recycling facilities and 10 landfills, serving more than 500,000 municipal, residential, commercial and industrial service locations.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors who founded our company in 1970 and our Chief Executive Officer are recognized for their leadership roles throughout the solid waste management industry and trade organizations. Our management team collectively has over 175 years of experience in the solid waste industry and over 116 years with our company.

Industry Overview

In the last 10 years, the solid waste collection and disposal industry has undergone a period of significant consolidation and integration. We believe that this consolidation and integration has been caused primarily by:

Despite the considerable consolidation and integration that has occurred in the solid waste industry in recent years, we believe, based on our experience in the industry, that the industry remains primarily regional in nature due to the localized nature of collecting and disposing of waste and highly fragmented due to the many small competitors in many markets.

The increasingly stringent industry regulations, such as the Subtitle D regulations, have resulted in rising operating and capital costs and have caused the consolidation and acquisition activities in the solid waste collection and disposal industry in the last 10 years. Many of the smaller industry participants have found these costs difficult to bear and have decided to either close their operations or sell them to larger operators. In addition, Subtitle D requires more stringent engineering of solid waste landfills including liners, leachate collection and monitoring and gas collection and monitoring. These ongoing costs are coupled with increased financial reserves from solid waste landfill operators for closure and post-closure monitoring. As a result, we believe, based on our market research, the number of solid waste landfills is declining while the size of solid waste landfills is increasing.

In many markets in which we operate or intend to expand, competitive pressures are forcing operators to become more efficient by establishing an integrated network of solid waste collection operations and transfer stations, through which we secure solid waste streams for disposal. Operators have adopted a variety of disposal strategies, including owning landfills, establishing strategic relationships to secure access to landfills, or by otherwise capturing significant waste stream volumes to gain leverage in negotiating lower landfill fees and securing long-term contracts with high capacity landfills on most favored pricing terms.

3

Table of Contents

In the Southeastern U.S. solid waste market, which is our market, city and county governments have historically provided a variety of solid waste services using their own personnel. Over time, many municipalities have opted to privatize or contract out their collection and disposal services to the private sector. Landfills, transfer stations and incinerators located in our market area are predominantly municipally owned. The Southeastern market has been and is currently undergoing significant economic and population growth. Several states in the Southeastern U.S. exceed the national average in terms of economic growth as measured by gains in jobs, personal income and population.

There is an increasing trend at the state and local levels to encourage waste reduction at the source and to prohibit the disposal of certain types of wastes, such as yard wastes and recyclable materials, at landfills. For example, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia have each established quantifiable goals and time frames to reduce the solid waste disposed of in their respective landfills. We believe, based on our experience in the industry that these trends and laws have created significant opportunities for solid waste services companies to provide additional recycling services to generators of solid waste who are not otherwise able to dispose of such waste.

Strategy

Our objective is to build the premier solid waste services company in the Southeastern U.S. by expanding our operations and capitalizing on our strong market presence. Our strategy for achieving this objective is:

We intend to implement this strategy primarily through internal growth supplemented by tuck-in acquisitions in our existing markets. We continue to examine opportunities to expand our presence in new and existing markets in the Southeastern U.S. There can be no assurance that we will be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates or, if identified, successfully negotiate their acquisition. If we fail to implement successfully our acquisition strategy, our growth potential will be limited.

Internal Growth

In order to continue to achieve internal growth, we will focus on increasing sales penetration in current and adjacent market areas, marketing upgrades or additional services (such as on-site solid waste compaction) to existing customers and implementing selective price increases. We strive to be the first or second largest provider, in terms of market share, of waste services in the majority of the markets in which we operate. Current levels of population growth and economic development in the Southeastern U.S. and our strong market presence should provide an opportunity for us to increase revenues and market share in our region. As customers are added in existing markets, our density is improved, which should increase our collection efficiencies and profitability. At December 31, 2004, we had an approximately 56-person sales force dedicated to maintaining and increasing our sales to new and existing commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers.

An important part of our internal growth strategy is to operate transfer stations strategically located throughout our geographic area to improve our consolidation of collected solid waste and permit us to deliver the collected solid waste to landfills where we have negotiated favorable volume rates with landfill operators or to dispose of it at sites we own. At December 31, 2004, we operated 25 transfer stations, nine of which we own. By operating transfer stations, we engage in direct communication with municipalities that own the transfer stations regarding waste disposal services, better positioning us to gain additional business in our markets in the event any of these municipalities privatize their solid waste operations. To the extent we are unable to operate existing transfer stations owned by municipalities, we would consider constructing our own transfer station.

Expansion Through Acquisitions

Our strategy for growth includes:

4

Table of Contents

We seek to acquire companies with a significant market presence, high service standards and an experienced management team willing to remain with our company.

Based on our market research, we believe that numerous “tuck-in” acquisition opportunities exist within our current market area. A “tuck-in” acquisition refers to an acquisition in which we acquire a solid waste collection company, a division of a company or customers of a company located in our existing market area, and integrate the acquired operations or customers into the operations of one of our existing branch facilities. These acquisitions have become an integral part of the industry competitive model due to the efficiencies involved. Such acquisitions, if consummated, provide us with opportunities to improve market share and route density.

As we enter new markets through acquisitions, we intend to continue to implement a regional expansion strategy. The regional expansion strategy provides us with a base of operations to grow internally through price increases, providing additional services to existing customers, adding new private and public customers as well as tuck-in acquisitions. We can then expand our presence in the targeted region by adding solid waste collection and transfer operations in regional markets adjacent to or contiguous with the new location. Because our goal is to increase the scale of our operations through internal growth and through the acquisition of other solid waste businesses, we might experience periods of rapid growth with significantly increased staffing requirements. Such growth, if it were to occur, could place a significant strain on our management and on our operational, financial and other resources. Our ability to maintain and manage our growth effectively will require us to expand our management information systems capabilities and improve our operational and financial systems and controls. Moreover, we will need to attract, train, motivate, retain and manage our senior managers, technical professionals and other employees. Any failure to expand our management information systems capabilities and our operational and financial systems and controls or to recruit appropriate additional personnel in an efficient manner at a pace consistent with any business growth we may experience would have a material adverse effect on our operations.

The consolidation and integration activity in the solid waste industry, which peaked in the 1990’s, as well as the difficulties, uncertainties and expenses relating to the development and permitting of solid waste landfills and transfer stations, has increased competition for the acquisition of existing solid waste collection, transfer and disposal operations. Increased competition for acquisition candidates as well as less advantageous acquisition terms, including increased purchase prices might result in fewer acquisition opportunities being made available to us. These circumstances might increase acquisition costs to levels beyond our financial capability or pricing parameters. Such circumstances might have an adverse effect on our results of operations. Many of our competitors for acquisitions are larger, better known companies that possess significantly greater resources than we have. We also believe, based on our experience, that a significant factor in our ability to consummate acquisitions will be the relative attractiveness of shares of our common stock as an investment instrument to potential acquisition candidates. This attractiveness will, in large part, be dependent upon the relative market price and capital appreciation prospects of our common stock compared to the equity securities of our competitors.

In the past several years, we have been and expect to continue to be actively engaged in identifying solid waste landfill acquisition candidates in the Southeastern U.S., although the number of candidates is limited in our current market area. Based on our experience in the industry, we believe that the successful acquisition of landfills will provide us with opportunities to integrate vertically our collection, transfer and disposal operations while improving operating margins. Generally, we will evaluate a landfill target by determining, among other things, whether access to the landfill is economically feasible from our existing market areas either directly or through strategically located transfer stations, expected landfill life, the potential for landfill expansion, and current disposal costs compared with the cost to acquire the landfill. In addition, where the acquisition of a landfill site is either not available or not economically feasible, we seek to enter into long-term disposal contracts with facilities that are located in proximity to our market areas.

Acquisition Program

From 1990 through December 31, 2004, we acquired, either by merger or asset purchase, 84 solid waste collection or disposal operations, with nine being acquired in 2004, six being acquired in 2003 and eight being acquired in 2002. We have developed a set of financial, geographic and management criteria designed to assist management in the evaluation of acquisition candidates engaged in solid waste collection and disposal. These criteria evaluate a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

5

Table of Contents

We have an established integration procedure for newly acquired companies designed to effect a prompt and efficient integration of the acquired business while minimizing disruption to our ongoing business and that of the acquired business. Once a solid waste collection operation is acquired, programs designed to improve collection and disposal routing, equipment maintenance and utilization, employee productivity, operating efficiencies and overall profitability are implemented. To improve an acquired business’ operational productivity, administrative efficiency and profitability, we apply the same benchmarking programs and systems to the acquired business as are employed at our existing operations. We also solicit new commercial, industrial and residential customers in areas within and surrounding the markets served by the acquired collection operations as a means of further improving operating efficiencies and increasing the volumes of solid waste collected by the acquired operation. We typically attempt to retain the acquired company’s management and key employees and consolidate administrative and management information systems through our corporate offices.

Prior to completing an acquisition, we perform extensive environmental, operational, engineering, legal, human resource and financial due diligence. All acquisitions are subject to initial evaluation and approval by our management before being recommended to our Board of Directors.

6

Table of Contents

2004 Acquisitions

Effective January 1, 2004, we acquired American Disposal for approximately $103,000 in cash. This tuck-in acquisition expands our residential customer base in our existing operations in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina market.

On January 31, 2004, we purchased L&M Sanitation for approximately $134,000 in cash. This acquisition of residential services is a tuck-in to our existing operations in Garner, Goldsboro and Fayetteville, North Carolina.

On March 31, 2004, we acquired M&M Sanitation for approximately $294,000 in cash. This acquisition of residential collection services is a tuck-in to our existing operations in the Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina market.

On April 1, 2004, we acquired County Garbage, Inc. for approximately $360,000 in cash. This tuck-in to existing operations in Graham, North Carolina expands our current services to include the residential market segment at this location.

On October 1, 2004, we acquired Howard Sanitation for approximately $362,000 in cash. This tuck-in acquisition expands our residential collection customer base in our existing operations in the Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina market.

On October 9, 2004, we acquired Marathon Waste Services Inc. for approximately $3,146,000 in cash. This acquisition of residential, commercial and industrial collection services is a tuck-in to the Conway, South Carolina market.

On November 1, 2004, we acquired commercial routes from Waste Management, Inc. for approximately $247,000 in cash. This tuck-in acquisition expands our commercial customer base in our existing operations in the Henderson, North Carolina market.

On December 1, 2004, we acquired collection, disposal and transfer operations in Rockmart, Douglas and Woodstock, Georgia

7

Table of Contents

for approximately $17,370,000 in cash from Waste Connections. Simultaneously, we sold to Waste Connections collection and construction and demolition landfill operations in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and collection, transfer station operations in Crossville, Tennessee, including a municipal solid waste landfill development project in a neighboring county for approximately $18,500,000 in cash.

On December 16, 2004, we acquired B&J Sanitation for approximately $143,000 in cash. This tuck-in acquisition expands our residential collection customer base in the Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina market.

During 2004 we primarily funded these acquisitions with cash provided by operating activities, in addition to cash received from dispositions.

Operating Enhancements

We have implemented advanced management information systems, financial controls, shared support services and benchmarking systems designed to improve the productivity, efficiency and profitability of our existing and acquired operations. Each branch facility has on-line real time access to our financial, operating, cost and customer information. This access enables our managers to evaluate continuously our performance record and to establish benchmarks in all phases of our operations. Management utilizes these systems to:

Through the utilization of our systems and controls, we will continue to manage our landfill disposal costs and to negotiate long-term disposal contracts with Subtitle D landfill operators. In addition, we have developed an extensive network of transfer stations that we use to consolidate waste streams to gain greater leverage in negotiating landfill disposal fees. As of December 31, 2004, 36.3% of our waste volume was directed through transfer stations owned or operated by us.

Contracts Program

We currently have 221 municipal contracts that represent approximately $79.0 million of revenue on an annualized basis. We believe that opportunities for gaining new contracts are increasing due to shrinking state and local government revenues resulting from the economic downturn. In most cases, only larger disposal services companies such as us are financially acceptable to the municipality. Historically, in the Southeastern U.S., city and county governments have provided a variety of solid waste services using their own personnel. Over time, many municipalities have opted to privatize or contract out their collection and disposal services to the private sector. Typically, these contracts are competitively bid and have initial terms of one to five years. In bidding for large contracts, our management team draws on its experience in the waste industry and its knowledge of local service areas in existing and target markets. We engage in extensive due diligence using our advanced management information systems and productivity and cost modeling analyses to respond to requests for proposals to provide services. Our regional managers are responsible for managing the relationships with local governmental officials within their respective service area and sales representatives may be assigned specific municipalities for coverage. We may be required to bid for renewal of a contract previously awarded to us, or in certain cases to renegotiate the contract as a result of changed market conditions. During 2004, we retained approximately 97.0% of our municipal contracts that were up for bid or renewal. No single customer of ours accounted for more than 4.0% of our revenues in 2004. We do not believe that the loss of any single customer would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

A major customer, Solid Waste Management Authority of Crisp County, accounted for approximately 11.0% and 4.0% of our net accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2003 and 2004, respectively. We became aware of circumstances that raised substantial doubt as to the collectibility of accounts receivable from this customer. As a result, in the fourth quarter of 2004, we increased our allowance related to these receivables by $2.3 million to $4.1 million and wrote off approximately $3.1 million, leaving a reserve of approximately $1.0 million for the Authority. Please refer to Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Authority.

8

Table of Contents

Services

Commercial, Industrial and Residential Waste Services

We provide commercial and industrial collection and disposal services under one-year to five-year service agreements. Fees are determined by such factors as collection frequency, level of service, route density, the type, volume and weight of the waste collected, the type of equipment and containers furnished, the distance to the disposal or processing facility, the cost of disposal or processing and prices charged in our markets for similar service. Collection of larger volumes associated with commercial and industrial waste streams generally helps improve our operating efficiencies and, through consolidation of these volumes, we can negotiate more favorable disposal prices. Our commercial and industrial customers utilize portable containers for storage thereby enabling us to service many customers with fewer collection vehicles. Commercial and industrial collection vehicles normally require one operator. We provide two to eight cubic yard containers to commercial customers and 10 to 42 cubic yard containers to industrial customers. As a part of the services we provide under our waste services contract, we install, for an additional fee, stationary compactors that compact waste prior to collection on the premises of a substantial number of large volume customers. No single commercial or industrial contract is individually material to our results of operations.

Our residential solid waste collection and disposal services are performed either on a subscription basis with individual households, or under contracts with municipalities, homeowners associations, apartment owners or mobile home park operators. Municipal contracts grant us the right to service all or a portion of the residences in a specified community or to provide a central repository for residential waste drop-off. Municipal contracts in our market areas are typically awarded on a competitive bid basis and thereafter on a bid or negotiated basis and usually range in duration from one to five years. Residential contract fees are based primarily on route density, the frequency and level of service, the distance to the disposal or processing facility, the cost of disposal or processing and prices charged in its markets for similar service. Municipal collection fees are paid either by the municipalities from tax revenues or through direct service charges to the residents receiving the service. We had approximately 221 municipal contracts in place as of December 31, 2004. No single municipal or other residential contract is individually material to our results of operations.

At December 31, 2004, we operated 10 solid waste landfills in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Our landfill facilities are designed and operated to meet federal, state and local regulations in all material respects and we believe each of our landfill sites are in compliance with current applicable state and federal Subtitle D regulations in all material respects. None of our landfills are permitted to accept hazardous waste.

Transfer Station Services

The 25 transfer stations we operated at December 31, 2004 receive, compact and transfer solid waste to larger vehicles for transport to landfills. We believe that transfer stations benefit us by:

Depending on the location, size and local regulatory environment, transfer stations can be constructed for as little as $150,000 for a small rural facility or as much as $1.0 million for larger sites. We believe that we have obtained all permits and authorizations necessary to operate our existing transfer stations and that each of our existing transfer stations has been operated in compliance in all material respects with applicable environmental regulations.

At December 31, 2004, we owned nine of the transfer stations we operate, and operate the remaining sixteen transfer stations pursuant to operating agreements. We generally receive a fixed monthly operating fee for our services under these agreements, together with a variable fee based upon the number of hauls made by us from the station. At December 31, 2004, approximately 62.0% of waste directed to the transfer stations we operated was delivered by third parties, who pay us a fee based on the tonnage delivered. Control of these third-party waste streams coupled with our waste stream adds to our bargaining power in our negotiations for favorable solid waste disposal rates with landfill operators.

9

Table of Contents

In 2004, we outsourced the majority of our transportation services related to transfer station operations. We believe outsourcing these operations will reduce capital expenditures, improve maintenance capacity for other core services, reduce ownership costs, such as insurance, fuel, labor and maintenance costs, and improve the aging of our remaining transfer fleet.

Recycling Services

Recycling involves the removal of reusable materials from the waste stream for processing and sale in various applications. Based on our experience in the industry, we believe that recycling will continue to be an important component of local and state solid waste management plans as a result of the public’s increasing environmental awareness and expanding regulations mandating or encouraging waste recycling. We offer commercial, industrial and residential customers recycling for office paper, cardboard, newspaper, aluminum and steel cans, plastic, glass, pallets and yard waste. At December 31, 2004, we operated approximately 90 convenience sites where residents can dispose of recyclables. At December 31, 2004, less than 2.0% of our revenues represented recycling services.

Through a centralized effort, we resell recycled waste products using commercially reasonable practices and seek to manage commodity-pricing risk by spreading the risk among our customers. These commodities are delivered either to third-party processing facilities in exchange for a fee or to one of five facilities operated by us for processing prior to resale. The resale prices of, and demand for, recyclable commodities, particularly wastepaper, can be volatile and subject to changing market conditions.

Convenience Sites and Other Specialized Services

In 1982, we developed the concept of a convenience site in response to increasing volumes of waste dumped randomly in rural areas. Each site typically consists of a ramp for easy disposal access, a trash compactor and trash and recycling containers. Most sites have posted operating hours during which our personnel assist residents with the deposit of waste and recyclables while monitoring the types of waste deposited at the sites. Because these convenience sites reduce the amount of trash dumped along roads and in recreational areas, we believe that county and local governments will contract for these sites to be strategically located. At December 31, 2004, we operated approximately 90 convenience sites located in 13 counties in our market area.

In addition, we have increased our efforts to win additional contracts to manage comprehensive disposal services for large corporations and municipalities. For example, after thorough review and evaluation, we might provide a lump sum quote for handling all the waste in a company’s facility. This would include separating at the source various wastes into commodities for resale and non-recyclables for disposal. The process of sorting at the source, processing through a compaction system and scheduling waste and recyclable removals only when the containers are full reduces our cost and increases our operating efficiency. Furthermore, confidential documents can be controlled throughout the process and destroyed to the customer’s satisfaction.

Operations

Branch Facility Structure

Based on our experience in the industry, we believe that a branch facilities structure retains some decision-making authority close to the customer, which enables us to identify customers’ needs quickly and implement cost-effective solutions. Furthermore, we believe that it provides a low-overhead, highly efficient operational structure that allows us to branch into geographically contiguous markets and operate in small communities that larger competitors might not find attractive. Based on our experience in the industry, we believe that branch facilities and somewhat decentralized management of operations provide us with a strategic competitive advantage given the relatively rural nature of the Southeastern U.S.

10

Table of Contents

We deliver our waste services from branch locations in contiguous service areas, which permits our branch facilities to provide back-up services and support to one another. Each manager of a branch facility has some decision-making authority for the local market area, primarily with pricing, although monitored by corporate management to ensure that company-wide goals are attained. Each designated division is overseen by a division manager and a division controller, who is typically located at one of our branch facilities. At December 31, 2004, the branch network was divided into four divisions set forth below:

COLLECTION OPERATIONS

Our managerial philosophy centers on the principle that customers’ needs can best be served at the local level by a staff of well-trained personnel led by a branch manager. Each branch manager is responsible for implementing sales programs, maintaining service quality, promoting safety in the branch’s operations and overseeing the day-to-day operations for the branch, including contract administration. Branch managers also assist division managers in identifying potential acquisition candidates. Frequently, the branch manager is also the branch facility’s sales manager; but in larger market areas, branch facilities will have one or more sales persons. Branch managers are compensated based on the performance of their branch. Each branch manager reports to a division vice president, who reports to our chief operating officer.

In addition to delivering our services, branch staff responsibilities include setting up customer accounts, answering customer questions, processing accounts payable and maintaining payroll and personnel information. Maintenance support for collection equipment is also provided at the branch facility. The facility size, number of maintenance personnel and capabilities are determined by the number of vehicles operated and the type of services provided within the branch facility’s market area.

On a monthly basis, the corporate and/or division officers meet with each branch manager to discuss and evaluate the branch operations. This evaluation is conducted through the use of flash reports on a weekly basis at the branch and division levels. Flash reports highlight key operating data such as employee-hours, overtime hours, truck hours, revenues and extraordinary costs. These meetings are oriented to identifying trends, opportunities and strategies in the branch facility’s proximate geographic area. Using a decentralized approach, but with strong division and corporate monitoring and strict budgetary and operating guidelines and quality control standards, each branch manager has the authority to exercise some discretion in business decisions. Our management information systems provide corporate management timely oversight of branch performance.

Information Technologies

A cornerstone of our desire to deliver responsive and cost-effective waste services is our management information systems network. Many of our information systems, controls and services are designed to assist branch facilities’ personnel in making decisions based upon centralized information. Financial control is maintained through personnel, fiscal and accounting policies that are established at the corporate level for implementation at the branch locations. Our systems allow for centralized billing and collection through a lock-box system, thus enhancing cash management. An internal audit program monitors compliance with our policies and the benchmarks are monitored continuously using an advanced management information system. This information system links our IBM AS/400 computer to each branch using the Internet that allows each branch on-line, real-time financial, productivity, maintenance and customer information.

11

Table of Contents

Support Services

Our Support Services Teams provide our branch operations with significant assistance in maintaining existing customers, winning new customers and integrating newly acquired operations. These services consist of:

Risk Management Services:

Productivity Improvement Services:

Centralized Purchasing and Asset Control for:

Centralized Purchasing Negotiations for:

Acquisition Due Diligence and Integration Support:

Centralized Maintenance Support in order to:

Disposal Management

We manage our disposal cost by maximizing the use of our own disposal sites whenever economically viable, by negotiating favorable disposal rates with third parties based on volume commitments, by a network of transfer stations that provide us with more final disposal options and a disciplined transfer station and landfill development program designed to improve our future internalization rates and reduce our cost of disposal.

We use our network of transfer stations to consolidate waste from local collection vehicles and ship the consolidated waste in tractor/trailer loads to our landfills, thereby internalizing the waste. In some markets, our transfer stations ship to third party disposal facilities, but generally only when we have either negotiated favorable long-term disposal rates with these facilities or the disposal rates generally are the same for all users.

In general, there is no shortage of landfill space in the Southeast. There is, however, a need for additional landfill disposal capacity in some very specific Southeast markets. To address these opportunities, we may acquire existing landfills, we may develop

12

Table of Contents

landfills, or we may partner with an experienced landfill operator for the acquisition, development or assumption of the operation of additional landfills. Generally, we would pursue such arrangements in our market area if we believe that ownership or operation of a landfill would provide cost benefits and create shareholder value.

Most Southeast markets have surplus landfill capacity. In these markets, landfill operators are aggressively soliciting solid waste volumes to ensure cash flows sufficient to support ongoing landfill operating and construction cost. In these markets, we will continue to use our traditional system of consolidating waste and negotiating favorable disposal rates unless we believe that ownership or operation of a landfill would provide cost benefits and create shareholder value.

In some of our markets, we rely on municipally owned waste-to-energy plants for the disposal of our solid waste. In these markets, disposal cost is the same for all users; as a result, no one has a competitive edge when it comes to the cost of disposal.

Recycling, composting and waste reduction continue to play a role as alternate disposal methods. State and local governments have mandated specific rules and regulations for the recycling of construction and demolition waste, residential recyclables, used tires and yard waste. In some jurisdictions, materials such as yard waste and cardboard have been banned for landfill disposal, and yard waste must be disposed of at a composting or yard waste facility and cardboard at a recycling center. Where applicable, we have adjusted our collection and disposal operations to be in compliance.

Landfill Capping, Closure and Post-Closure Costs

We have financial obligations relating to capping, closure and post-closure costs for the landfill sites we own and operate. Our obligations for these costs will increase if we decide to develop or acquire additional landfill sites in the future.

Landfill capping, closure and post-closure costs include estimated costs to be incurred for final closure of landfills and estimated costs for providing required post-closure monitoring and maintenance of landfills. We estimate these future cost requirements based on our interpretation of the technical standards of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Subtitle D Regulations. While the precise amounts of these future obligations cannot be determined, at December 31, 2004, we estimate total landfill closure and post-closure costs of approximately $5.3 million for the airspace consumed to date. Our estimate of these costs considers when the costs would actually be paid and factor in inflation and discount rates. We had accrued approximately $6.2 million for such projected costs as of December 31, 2003 and subsequently paid approximately $1.4 million in 2004. We provide accruals for these future costs (generally for a term of 30 years after final closure of any landfill), and will provide additional accruals for these and other landfills we might acquire or develop in the future, based on engineering estimates of consumption of airspace over the useful lives of such facilities. There can be no assurance that our ultimate financial obligations for actual closure or post-closure costs will not exceed the amount accrued and reserved or amounts otherwise receivable pursuant to insurance policies or trust funds. Such a circumstance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Marketing and Sales

We market our services locally through our regional and branch managers and approximately 56 direct sales representatives who focus on commercial, industrial and residential customers. In addition to traditional methods of obtaining customers through cold calls, referrals, yellow page and other local market print advertising and overall market reputation, we focus on new account sales through an integrated prospect data base system which targets new account development. Some branch locations have dedicated sales representatives that market residential services. We engage in direct mail campaigns and door-to-door marketing and work with real estate agents and developers to sell services to new developments. Additionally, we attend and make presentations at municipal and state conferences and advertise in governmental associations’ membership publications.

Our sales representatives visit customers on a regular basis and make sales calls to potential new customers. These sales representatives receive a significant portion of their compensation based upon certain incentive formulas. We emphasize providing quality services, customer satisfaction and retention, and believe that this focus on quality service will help retain existing customers as well as attract additional customers. Maintenance of a local presence and identity is an important aspect of our marketing plan. In order to accomplish these objectives, many of our managers are involved in local governmental, civic and business organizations.

No single customer of ours accounted for more than 4.0% of our revenues in 2004. We do not believe that the loss of any single customer would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

13

Table of Contents

Competition

The solid waste management industry is highly competitive, very fragmented and requires substantial labor and capital resources. Intense competition exists within the industry not only for collection, transportation and disposal volume, but also for acquisition candidates. The industry includes three large national waste companies: Waste Management, Inc.; Allied Waste Industries, Inc.; and Republic Services, Inc. There are several other public companies in the industry with annual revenue in excess of $100 million, including Casella Waste Systems, Inc. and Waste Connections, Inc. We compete with a number of these and other regional and local companies, including publicly or privately owned providers of incineration services.

We also compete with certain municipalities that operate their own solid waste collection and disposal facilities. These municipalities may have certain advantages over us due to the availability of tax revenues and tax-exempt financing.

We compete for collection and recycling accounts primarily on the basis of price and quality of our services. From time to time, competitors may reduce the price of their services in an effort to expand market share or to win a competitively bid municipal contract. These practices may also lead to reduced pricing for our services or the loss of business.

Competitive Bid Contracts

We provide a substantial portion of our residential collection services under municipal contracts and, at December 31, 2004, approximately 28% of our revenues came from municipal contracts. As is generally the case in the industry, municipal contracts are subject to periodic competitive bidding. The balance of our residential services is provided on a subscription basis. However, no single customer of any type accounted for more than 4% of our revenues in 2004. At December 31, 2004, we had not lost, nor do we reasonably expect to lose, a contract that would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations because the contract either was or is not material. Our inability to compete with larger and better capitalized companies, or to replace a significant number of municipal contracts lost through the competitive bidding process with comparable contracts or other revenue sources within a reasonable time period, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Employees

At December 31, 2004, we employed approximately 1,600 full-time employees. None of our employees are represented by unions and we believe that our employee relations are good. We are highly dependent upon the services of the members of our management team, the loss of any of whom might have an adverse effect on our operations.

Risk Management, Insurance and Performance Bonds

We actively maintain environmental and other risk management programs appropriate for our business. Our environmental risk management program includes evaluating both existing facilities, as well as potential acquisitions, for environmental law compliance and operating procedures. We also maintain a worker safety program that encourages safe practices in the workplace. Operating practices at all of our existing operations stress minimizing the possibility of environmental contamination and litigation.

We carry a range of insurance intended to protect our assets and operations, including a commercial general liability policy and a property damage policy. If a partially or completely uninsured claim were made against us (including liabilities associated with cleanup or remediation at our own facilities) and it was successful and of sufficient magnitude, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Any future difficulty in obtaining insurance could also impair our ability to secure future contracts, which might be conditioned upon the availability of adequate insurance coverage.

Municipal solid waste collection contracts may require performance bonds or other means of financial assurance to secure contractual performance. We have not experienced difficulty in obtaining performance bonds or letters of credit for our current operations. At December 31, 2004, we had provided customers and various regulatory authorities with bonds and letters of credit of approximately $41.8 million to secure our obligations. If we were unable to obtain surety bonds or letters of credit in sufficient amounts or at acceptable rates, we may be precluded from entering into additional municipal solid waste collection contracts or obtaining or retaining landfill operating permits.

14

Table of Contents

Regulation

Introduction

We are subject to extensive and evolving federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that have been enacted in response to technological advances and increased concern over environmental issues. These regulations not only strictly regulate the conduct of our operations but also are related directly to the demand for many of the services we offer.

The regulations affecting us are administered by the EPA and various other federal, state and local environmental, zoning, health and safety agencies. We believe that we are currently in substantial compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws, permits, orders and regulations, and we do not currently anticipate any material environmental costs (although there can be no assurance in this regard). We anticipate there will continue to be increased regulation, legislation and regulatory enforcement actions related to the solid waste services industry. As a result, we attempt to anticipate future regulatory requirements and to plan accordingly to remain in compliance with the regulatory framework.

In order to transport waste, we must have one or more permits from state or local agencies. These permits also must be periodically renewed and are subject to modification and revocation by the issuing agency. None of our permits has ever been revoked.

In order to develop, own or operate a landfill, a transfer station or other solid waste facilities, we are required to go through several governmental review processes and obtain one or more permits and often zoning or other land use approvals. Obtaining these permits and zoning or land use approvals is difficult, time consuming and expensive. In addition, this process is often opposed by various local elected officials and citizens’ groups. Once obtained, operating permits generally must be periodically renewed and are subject to modification and revocation by the issuing agency.

Our facilities are subject to a variety of operational, monitoring, site maintenance, closure, post-closure and financial assurance obligations that change from time to time and which could give rise to increased capital expenditures and operating costs. In connection with any such landfills, it is often necessary to expend considerable time, effort and money in complying with the governmental review and permitting process necessary to maintain or increase the capacity of these landfills. Governmental authorities have broad power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and to obtain injunctions or impose civil or criminal penalties in the case of violations.

The principal federal, state and local statutes and regulations applicable to our various operations are as follows:

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976

The Resources Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, also known as RCRA, regulates the generation, treatment, storage, handling, transportation and disposal of solid waste and requires states to develop programs to ensure the safe disposal of solid waste. RCRA divides solid waste into two groups, hazardous and non-hazardous. Wastes are generally classified as hazardous if they either are specifically included on a list of hazardous wastes or exhibit certain hazardous characteristics and are not specifically designated as non-hazardous. Wastes classified as hazardous under RCRA are subject to much stricter regulation than wastes classified as non-hazardous.

Among the wastes that are specifically designated as non-hazardous waste are household waste and “special” waste, including items such as petroleum contaminated soils, asbestos, foundry sand, shredder fluff and most non-hazardous industrial waste products.

Although we currently are not involved with transportation or disposal of hazardous substances, we transported hazardous substances in the past and might become involved with hazardous substance transportation and disposal in the future. The EPA regulations issued under Subtitle C of RCRA impose a comprehensive “cradle to grave” system for tracking the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes. The Subtitle C Regulations provide standards for generators, transporters and disposers of hazardous wastes, and for the issuance of permits for sites where such material is treated, stored or disposed. Subtitle C imposes detailed operating, inspection, training and emergency preparedness and response standards, as well as requirements for manifesting, record keeping and reporting, facility closure, post-closure and financial responsibilities.

In October 1991, the EPA adopted the Subtitle D Regulations governing solid waste landfills. Because we own and operate landfills, we must comply with these regulations.

The Subtitle D Regulations, which generally became effective in October 1993, include location restrictions, facility design standards, operating criteria, closure and post-closure requirements, financial assurance requirements, groundwater monitoring requirements, groundwater remediation standards and corrective action requirements. In addition, the Subtitle D Regulations require that new landfill sites meet more stringent liner design criteria (typically, composite soil and synthetic liners or two or more synthetic

15

Table of Contents

liners) designed to keep leachate out of groundwater and have extensive collection systems to carry away leachate for treatment prior to disposal. Groundwater monitoring wells must also be installed at virtually all landfills to monitor groundwater quality and, indirectly, the leachate collection system operation. The Subtitle D Regulations also require, where threshold test levels are present that methane gas generated at landfills be controlled in a manner that protects human health and the environment. We are not aware of any problem with methane gas at any of our facilities. Each state is required to revise its landfill regulations to meet these requirements or such requirements will be automatically imposed upon it by the EPA. Each state is also required to adopt and implement a permit program or other appropriate system to ensure that landfills within the state comply with the Subtitle D Regulations criteria. Various states in which we operate now or might in the future have adopted regulations or programs as stringent as, or more stringent than, the Subtitle D Regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations could require us to undertake investigatory or remedial activities, to curtail operations or to close a landfill temporarily or permanently. Future changes in these regulations might require us to modify, supplement or replace equipment or facilities at costs that might be substantial. The failure of regulatory agencies to enforce these regulations vigorously or consistently might give an advantage to our competitors whose facilities do not comply with the Subtitle D Regulations or its state counterparts. Our ultimate financial obligations related to any failure to comply with these regulations could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, known as the Clean Water Act, establishes rules regulating the discharge of pollutants from a variety of sources, including solid waste disposal sites and transfer stations, into waters of the U.S. Because we own and operate landfills and transfer stations, we must comply with this Act. For example, if run-off or collected leachate from our transfer stations or from our owned or operated landfills is discharged into streams, rivers or other surface waters, the Clean Water Act would require us to apply for and obtain a discharge permit, conduct sampling and monitoring and possibly reduce the quantity of pollutants in such discharge. Also, virtually all landfills are required to comply with the EPA’s storm water regulations issued in November 1990. Such regulations are designed to prevent possibly contaminated landfill storm water runoff from flowing into surface waters. We believe that our facilities are in compliance in all material respects with Clean Water Act requirements, including these state requirements. Various states in which we operate now or might in the future have delegated authority to implement the Clean Water Act permitting requirements, and some of these states have adopted regulations that are more stringent than the federal requirements.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, also known as CERCLA, established a regulatory and remedial program intended to provide for the investigation and cleanup of facilities from which there has been, or is threatened, a release of any hazardous substance into the environment. CERCLA’s primary mechanism for remedying such problems is to impose strict joint and several liability for cleanup of facilities on current owners and operators of the site, former owners and operators of the site at the time of the disposal of the hazardous substances, as well as the generators of the hazardous substances and the transporters who arranged for disposal or transportation of the hazardous substances. The costs of CERCLA investigation and cleanup can be very substantial. Liability under CERCLA does not depend upon the existence or disposal of “hazardous waste” as defined by RCRA, but can also be founded upon the existence of even very small amounts of the more than 700 “hazardous substances” listed by the EPA, many of which can be found in household waste.

We currently do not handle hazardous waste as defined by RCRA, but because we own and operate landfills and transfer stations, we might be subject to CERCLA. If we were to be found to be a responsible party for a CERCLA cleanup, the enforcing agency could hold us, or any other generator, transporter or the owner or operator of the facility, completely responsible for all investigative and remedial costs even if others might also be liable. CERCLA also authorizes the imposition of a lien in favor of the U.S. upon all real property subject to, or affected by, a remedial action for all costs for which a party is liable. CERCLA provides a responsible party with the right to bring legal action against other responsible parties for their allocable share of investigative and remedial costs. Our ability to get others to reimburse us for their allocable share of such costs would be limited by our ability to find other responsible parties and prove the extent of their responsibility and by the financial resources of such other parties.

The Clean Air Act

The Clean Air Act provides for regulation, through state implementation of federal requirements, of the emission of air pollutants from certain landfills based upon the date of the landfill construction and volume per year of emissions of regulated pollutants. Because we own and operate landfills, we must comply with this Act. We believe we are in compliance with this Act. The EPA has proposed new source performance standards regulating air emissions of certain regulated pollutants (methane and non-methane

16

Table of Contents

organic compounds) from municipal solid waste landfills. Landfills located in areas with air pollution problems might be subject to even more extensive air pollution controls and emission limitations. In addition, the EPA has issued standards regulating the disposal of asbestos-containing materials. Some of the federal statutes described above contain provisions authorizing the institution of lawsuits by private citizens to enforce the provisions of the statutes.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, also known as OSHA, establishes employer responsibilities and authorizes the promulgation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of occupational health and safety standards, including the obligation to maintain a workplace free of recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious injury, to comply with worker protection standards established by OSHA, to maintain records, to provide workers with required disclosures and to implement health and safety training programs. Various of those promulgated standards might apply to our operations, including those standards concerning notices of hazards, safety in excavation and demolition work, the handling of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, and worker training and emergency response programs. Our employees are trained to respond appropriately in the event there is an accidental spill or release of packaged asbestos-containing materials or other regulated substances during transportation or landfill disposal.

State and Local Regulations

Each state in which we now operate or might operate in the future has laws and regulations governing the generation, storage, treatment, handling, transportation and disposal of solid waste, water and air pollution and, in most cases, the siting, design, operation, maintenance, closure and post-closure maintenance of landfills and transfer stations. Because of our business, we must comply with these laws and regulations. In addition, many states have adopted Superfund statutes comparable to, and in some cases more stringent than, CERCLA. These statutes impose requirements for investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites and liability for costs and damages associated with such sites, and some provide for the imposition of liens on property owned by responsible parties. Furthermore, many municipalities also have ordinances, local laws and regulations affecting our operations. These include zoning and health measures that limit solid waste management activities to specified sites or activities, flow control provisions that direct the delivery of solid wastes to specific facilities, laws that grant the right to establish franchises for collection services and then put out for bid the right to provide collection services, and bans or other restrictions on the movement of solid wastes into a municipality.

Permits and approvals may limit the types of waste that may be accepted at a landfill or the quantity of waste that may be accepted at a landfill during a given time period. In addition, permits and approvals, as well as some state and local regulations, might limit a landfill to accepting waste that originates from specified geographic areas or seek to restrict the importation of out-of-state waste or otherwise discriminate against out-of-state waste. Generally, restrictions on the importation of out-of-state waste have not withstood judicial challenge. However, from time to time federal legislation is proposed which would allow individual states to prohibit the disposal of out-of-state waste or to limit the amount of out-of-state waste that could be imported for disposal and would require states to reduce the amounts of waste exported to other states. Although Congress has not yet passed such legislation, if this or similar legislation were enacted, states in which we operate landfills could act to limit or prohibit the importation of out-of-state waste. Such state actions could materially adversely affect landfills within those states that receive a significant portion of waste originating from out-of-state.

In addition, some states and localities may for economic or other reasons restrict the exportation of waste from their jurisdiction or require that a specified amount of waste be disposed of at facilities within their jurisdiction. In 1994, the U.S. Supreme Court held unconstitutional, and therefore invalid, a local ordinance that sought to impose flow controls on taking waste out of the locality. However, some state and local jurisdictions continue to seek to enforce such restrictions and, in certain cases, we might elect not to challenge such restrictions based upon various considerations. In addition, the aforementioned proposed federal legislation would allow states and localities to impose certain flow control restrictions.

These restrictions could result in the volume of waste going to landfills being reduced in some areas, which might materially adversely affect our ability to operate our landfills at their full capacity and/or affect the prices that can be charged for landfill disposal services. These restrictions might also result in higher disposal costs for our collection operations. If we were unable to pass such higher costs through to our customers, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

There has been an increasing trend at the state and local level to mandate and encourage waste reduction at the source and waste recycling, and to prohibit or restrict the disposal of some types of solid wastes, such as yard wastes, leaves and tires, in landfills. The enactment of regulations reducing the volume and types of wastes available for transport to and disposal in landfills could affect our ability to operate our facilities at their full capacity.

17

Table of Contents

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

Our principal executive offices are located at 3301 Benson Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina, where we currently lease approximately 29,480 square feet of office space. Our principal property and equipment consists of land (primarily transfer stations, bases for collection operations and landfill sites), buildings, and vehicles and equipment. Our land and buildings are located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. We also lease real property in the states in which we do business. At December 31, 2004, we operated 34 collection operations, 25 transfer stations, 11 recycling facilities and 10 landfills aggregating approximately 132 million cubic yards of permitted and deemed permitted airspace capacity. All our property and equipment are used in our one industry segment, which includes collection, transfer, recycling, processing and disposal of municipal solid and industrial waste.

Containers

Some type of container is used in almost every service we provide, and we therefore have an extensive inventory on-hand or on-site at customers’ locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. We own all of our containers and centrally manage our inventory located at the branch facility level. We also own a significant number of on-site compaction containers, which provide efficiency for high-volume solid waste generators. Container life is dependent on the location of the container, the type of waste that is deposited into the container and how the container is maintained. Proper maintenance of commercial and industrial front loader and roll-off containers consists of regular repainting, scheduled repairs and switch-outs, quality cleaning, sanding and priming and monitoring of the container by our employees to check for needed repairs. Residential collection containers require minor maintenance.

Collection Vehicles

We use a fleet of specialized collection vehicles to collect and transport waste and to provide recycling and convenience site services. We have implemented an aggressive and reliable maintenance program to extend the useful lives of our equipment. Preventative and long-term maintenance is performed on regularly scheduled cycles that are more frequent than most manufacturers’ suggested schedules. Preventative maintenance is performed on collection vehicles after every 150 to 250 hours of operation depending on their class, and long-term maintenance (reconstruction of engines, transmissions, etc.) is performed every four to six years. Additionally, cosmetic repairs (painting, interior upholstery repairs) are performed as needed. The majority of the maintenance program is performed by our personnel located in branch facilities.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Except as disclosed below, we are not a party to any material pending legal proceedings. In the normal course of our business and as a result of the extensive governmental regulation of the waste industry, we might periodically become subject to various judicial and administrative proceedings involving federal, state or local agencies. In these proceedings, an agency might seek to impose fines on us or to revoke, or to deny renewal of, an operating permit held by us. In addition, we might become party to various claims and suits pending for alleged damages to persons and property, alleged violation of certain laws and for alleged liabilities arising out of matters occurring during the normal operation of the waste management business.

TransWaste Services, LLC, f/k/a TransWaste Services, Inc. v. Maple Hill Landfill, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany Division, Civil Action No. 1:04-CV-126-4 (WLS)

In September 1998, our subsidiary TransWaste Services, LLC entered into an agreement with Maple Hill Landfill, Inc. that provides that, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, Maple Hill has the option to sell a landfill near Albany, Georgia to TransWaste for $8.0 million or to accept waste from TransWaste at a per ton rate that is favorable to TransWaste for up to ten years. None of the conditions has been satisfied. In August 2004, TransWaste sued Maple Hill seeking a judicial declaration that the agreement is unenforceable for, among other reasons, failure to satisfy these conditions within a reasonable amount of time. Maple Hill has indicated that, if and when it satisfies the conditions to the agreement, it intends to seek both specific performance of the agreement and any damages caused by TransWaste’s renunciation and anticipatory repudiation of the agreement. TransWaste intends to vigorously pursue its claims and defend against any potential counterclaim by Maple Hill. If TransWaste is not successful on this matter, TransWaste could be obligated to purchase the landfill or could be liable for damages. One of the owners of Maple Hill is a former director and officer of our company. See Note 11, Related Party Transactions, to our consolidated financial statements.

18

Table of Contents

U.S. Department of Justice

During 2004, we received from the U. S. Department of Justice document and other information requests relating to our purchase and sale in August 2003 of non-hazardous solid waste service operations to and from Allied Waste Industries, Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina; Sumter, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; Biloxi, Mississippi; Norfolk, Virginia; and Clarksville, Tennessee. These requests included a Civil Investigative Demand seeking to determine whether our acquisition from Allied of front-end commercial hauling routes in the south of the James River, or Tidewater, portion of the Norfolk, Virginia market has had the effect of lessening competition in that market. We voluntarily responded to the document and information requests from the DOJ and have cooperated with the DOJ in its investigation. We do not believe that the transactions or our subsequent operations in the Tidewater market have had any effect of lessening competition, and believe that, in fact, competition in the area is more robust than ever. However, we might not be able to resolve this matter without litigation or other results that could be adverse to our Tidewater business.

ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2004.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

As of December 31, 2004, our executive officers were as follows:

JIM W. PERRY joined our company in 1971 and was named Chief Executive Officer in 2002 and has served as President since 1987 and as a director since 1974. Prior to that, Mr. Perry served as Chief Operating Officer from 1987 until 2002. Mr. Perry holds a B.S. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from North Carolina State University and an M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. Mr. Perry has received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Solid Waste Management Association, or NSWMA. In addition, Mr. Perry has served in the Carolinas Chapter of NSWMA as Chairman and on the Membership Committee. Mr. Perry was inducted into the Environmental Industry Associations, or EIA Hall of Fame in 1997. Mr. Perry has more than 34 years experience in the solid waste industry.

HARRY M. HABETS joined our company in 2002 as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. From 1985 to 1999, Mr. Habets held various management positions with Waste Management, Inc., including VP of International Operations and Regional VP/Manager for collection, recycling and landfill disposal services in the Southeast. Mr. Habets holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. Mr. Habets has 16 years of experience in the solid waste industry.

D. STEPHEN GRISSOM joined our company in 2001 as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance. Prior to that, Mr. Grissom was Chief Financial Officer for Austin Quality Foods from 1982 to 2000 and has more than 26 years of controllership and CFO experience. He is a certified public accountant and holds a B.A. in accounting from North Carolina State University.

WILLIAM J. HANLEY joined our company in 2001 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Prior to that, Mr. Hanley served as Sales Manager, General Sales Manager and Regional Sales Manager with Waste Management, Inc. from 1995 to 2001. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Clarion University. Mr. Hanley has 11 years of experience in the solid waste industry.

LONNIE C. POOLE, III was named Vice President of Corporate Development in 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Poole served as our Vice President, Director of Support Services since 1995. From 1990 to 1995, he served as our Risk Management Director. Mr. Poole holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University. Mr. Poole is the son of Lonnie C. Poole, Jr., Chairman of the Board. Mr. Poole has more than 14 years experience in the solid waste industry.

19

Table of Contents

OTHER KEY EMPLOYEES

The following table sets forth certain information concerning our other key employees as of December 31, 2004:

HARRELL J. AUTEN has served as Vice President of our company since 1998 and has served as our South Division Manager since 1993. Prior to that, Mr. Auten owned and operated his own company. Mr. Auten holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has more than 34 years experience in the solid waste industry.

E. FRANKLIN LORICK was named Vice President of our company in 2002. Mr. Lorick joined us in 1989 and has held various positions including Operations Manager and Branch Manager. He attended Midlands Community College in Columbia, South Carolina and has over 16 years experience in the solid waste industry

THOMAS A. WINSTEAD has served as a Vice President of our company since March 1998. He joined us in 1985 as a Branch Manager and has also served as East Regional Operations Manager from 1990 to 1997. He is a graduate of Atlantic Christian College with a B.S. in Health and Physical Education. Mr. Winstead has more than 20 years of experience in the solid waste industry.

JERRY W. JOHNSON joined our company in 1991 and has served in various capacities that included developing our first Recycling Division and managing Field Support Services until his departure in 1995. Mr. Johnson then joined Atlantic Waste Disposal and served in various roles from transportation to General Management of Atlantic Waste of Virginia and New York until 1999. He then rejoined our company as the North Carolina Landfill Division Manager. Mr. Johnson currently serves as Vice President of our Landfill Division and oversees all of our landfill operations. Mr. Johnson attended Wake Community College and has over 26 years in the solid waste industry.

None of our executive officers, directors or other key employees is related to any other executive officer, director or other key employee, except that Lonnie C. Poole, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Lonnie C. Poole, III are father and son.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market information. Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “WWIN”. The following sets forth the quarterly high and low bid prices for the years indicated as reported by Nasdaq. These prices are based on quotations between dealers, which do not reflect retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions and might not reflect actual transactions.

20

Table of Contents

As of December 31, 2004, the number of shareholders of record of our common stock was 119 and we believe that the number of beneficial owners was approximately 1,800.

Dividends. Beginning in November 2003, our Board of Directors has declared a semi-annual cash dividend of $0.08 per share to shareholders. We expect to continue to pay dividends provided we have sufficient cash available to effect the dividend without impairing our ability to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business and without reducing total assets below the sum of our total liabilities plus any amount that would be needed if we were dissolved as of the payment date to satisfy all preferential rights upon distribution and to satisfy any preferential rights that are superior to those receiving the dividend.

Under our current revolving bank facility, we are limited in the amount we may pay in cash dividends in any year, which is currently $3,500,000. In addition, we cannot pay any cash dividend if after the payment of such dividend our fixed charge coverage ratio, as defined in the facility, is less than 1.0 to 1.0 for the year in which the dividend was paid. Further, we must meet financial covenants contained in the facility, including covenants relating to minimum net worth, minimum net income and maximum levels of capital expenditures and indebtedness. If we were not in compliance with these covenants, or were otherwise in default under the facility, we would not be able to pay cash dividends.

Sale of Unregistered Stock. On January 31, 2003, we issued an aggregate of 100,000 shares of our common stock, which shares were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933. These shares were issued in a private placement to an entity in exchange for assets that we integrated into our operations. The private placement was made pursuant to the exemption available under Section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Act of 1933. In 2004, 20,000 shares were cancelled as part of the final settlement of the transaction.

Equity Compensation Plan. The following table provides information as of December 31, 2004 for our one equity-based compensation plan, which is our 1997 Stock Plan.

21

Table of Contents

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this report. The consolidated statement of operations data set forth below with respect to the years ended December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2003 and 2004 are derived from, and are referenced to, our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report. The consolidated statement of operations data set forth below with respect to the years ended December 31, 2000 and 2001 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2000, 2001 and 2002 are derived from financial statements not included in this report. Historical results are not necessarily indicative of future results.

22

Table of Contents

23

Table of Contents

24

Table of Contents

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2004 and notes thereto included in this report.

Overview

We are a regional, vertically integrated provider of solid waste services. We were founded by the Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1970. We operate primarily in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, providing solid waste collection, transfer, recycling, processing and disposal services for commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers. At December 31, 2004, we operated 34 collection operations, 25 transfer stations, approximately 90 county convenience drop-off centers, 11 recycling facilities and 10 landfills in the Southeastern U.S. We had revenues of $270.5 million and operating income of $24.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2003, and revenues of $291.7 million and operating income of $28.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2004.

Percentages of our total revenue attributable to services provided are as follows:

From 1990 through December 31, 2004, we acquired, either by merger or asset purchase, 84 solid waste collection or disposal operations, with nine being acquired in 2004, six being acquired in 2003 and eight being acquired in 2002. Eighty of these acquisitions were accounted for as purchases. Accordingly, the results of operations of these acquired businesses have been included in our financial statements only from the respective dates of acquisition and have affected period-to-period comparisons of our operating results. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we did not have any significant acquisitions requiring the presentation of the target’s historical or the combined company’s pro forma financial statements. We anticipate that a significant part of our future growth will come from acquiring additional solid waste collection, transfer and disposal businesses and, therefore, we expect that additional acquisitions could continue to affect period-to-period comparisons of our operating results. Current levels of population growth and economic development in the Southeastern U.S. and our strong market presence in the region should provide an opportunity to increase our revenues and market share. As we add customers in existing markets, our density should improve, which we expect will increase our collection efficiencies and profitability.

Executive Summary

In 2004 we continued to focus on initiatives for achieving positive results and improving our performance. They are:

25

Table of Contents

Our performance for 2004 was impacted by the business climate we operate within, which saw:

Despite these challenges, our revenues increased 7.9%, our workforce headcount declined 4.2%, and our revenues per man-hour improved by nearly 7.1%. In addition, our fleet count was reduced by 2.0%, achievable primarily through ongoing rerouting of commercial and residential routes. These statistics indicate that we have continued to look for and find ways to improve our efficiency and productivity. We implemented a pricing strategy to adjust pricing on accounts that were not meeting standards and in some cases we chose to give up accounts that refused reasonable price increases. This pricing strategy resulted in pricing growth for each quarter of 2004.

Internal volume growth was a positive 3.2% for the total year. This growth was primarily the result of higher seasonal industrial volume, increased landfill tonnage, and strong national accounts growth for the year. Net pricing growth was 0.8% for the year. Fuel surcharges and recycled commodities sales contributed additional growth of 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively.

Acquisition growth was 3.4% during 2004 in which we completed nine acquisitions and exited two markets, representing net annualized acquired revenues of $5.6 million. We strive to be number one or number two in our markets and if this is not achievable in the near future, our strategy is to eventually exit those markets. All acquisitions in 2004 were tuck-ins and a continuation of our acquisition plan to expand in selected markets in order to achieve better route density and leverage our overhead cost structure.

We have experienced, as have others in this industry sector, increased operating costs which include higher fuel costs, and third party disposal, landfill and transfer fees. These increases have affected our profit margin and bottom line. To achieve our 2005 goals, we will continue to use route optimization tools such as Route Smart and Route Balance to focus on route productivity and optimization. In addition, we have increased employee training and centered our efforts on fleet maintenance, data management, and customer pricing. In 2005, we believe these efforts will better position our company as the economy continues its recovery.

Our 2004 capital expenditures of approximately $32.2 million increased by $2.6 million over the prior year due primarily to development efforts for our Black Bear Municipal Solid Waste landfill site in Camden County, North Carolina. If it becomes operational, the site will allow us to internalize some of the waste from our hauling companies in Eastern North Carolina and the Tidewater area of Virginia.

Despite higher capital spending and increased dividend payments, our debt to total capitalization ratio of 57.1% at December 31, 2004 was lower than the prior year ratio of 61.2%. We believe our $175.0 million revolving credit facility, which matures in February 2007, provides sufficient capital in combination with our cash flow from operating activities to fund our near term growth strategy and capital expenditures. Finally, as a result of our positive cash flow, our Board of Directors declared an $0.08 per share semi-annual dividend that was paid in June and December of 2004.

General

Our branch waste collection operations generate revenues from fees collected from commercial, industrial and residential collection and transfer station customers. We derive a substantial portion of our collection revenues from commercial and industrial services that are performed under one-year to five-year service agreements. Our residential collection services are performed either on a subscription basis with individual households, or under contracts with municipalities, apartment owners, homeowners associations or mobile home park operators. Residential customers on a subscription basis are billed quarterly in advance and provide us with a stable source of revenues. A liability for future service is recorded upon billing and revenues are recognized at the end of each month in which services are actually provided. Municipal contracts in our existing markets are typically awarded, at least initially, on a competitive bid basis and thereafter on a bid or negotiated basis and usually range in duration from one to five years. Municipal contracts provide consistent cash flow during the terms of the contracts.

Our prices for our solid waste services are typically determined by the collection frequency and level of service, route density, volume, weight and type of waste collected, type of equipment and containers furnished, the distance to the disposal or processing facility, the cost of disposal or processing, and prices charged in our markets for similar services.

26

Table of Contents

Our ability to pass on cost increases is sometimes limited by the terms of our contracts. Long-term solid waste collection contracts typically contain a formula, generally based on a predetermined published price index, for automatic adjustment of fees to cover increases in some, but not all, operating costs.

At December 31, 2004, we operated approximately 90 convenience sites under contract with 13 counties in order to consolidate waste in rural areas. These contracts, which are usually competitively bid, generally have terms of one to five years and provide consistent cash flow during the term of the contract since we are paid regularly by the local government. At December 31, 2004, we also operated 11 recycling processing facilities as part of our collection and transfer operations where we collect, process, sort and recycle paper products, aluminum and steel cans, pallets, plastics, glass and other items. Our recycling facilities generate revenues from the collection, processing and resale of recycled commodities, particularly recycled wastepaper. Through a centralized effort, we resell recycled commodities using commercially reasonable practices and seek to manage commodity-pricing risk by spreading the risk among our customers. We also operate curbside residential recycling programs in connection with our residential collection operations in most of the communities we serve.

Operating expenses for our collection operations include labor, fuel, equipment maintenance and tipping fees paid to landfills. At December 31, 2004, we operated or transferred from 29 transfer stations that reduce our costs by improving our utilization of collection personnel and equipment and by consolidating the waste stream to gain more favorable disposal rates. At December 31, 2004, we owned or operated 10 landfills. Operating expenses for these landfill operations include labor, equipment, legal and administrative, ongoing environmental compliance, host community fees, site maintenance and accruals for closure and post-closure maintenance. Cost of equipment sales primarily consists of our cost to purchase the disposal compactors and containers that we resell.

We capitalize certain expenditures related to pending acquisitions or development projects that meet stringent capitalization criteria. Indirect acquisition and project development costs, such as executive and corporate overhead, public relations and other corporate services, are expensed as incurred. Our policy is to charge against net income any unamortized capitalized expenditures and advances (net of any portion thereof that we estimate to be recoverable, through sale or otherwise) relating to any operation that is permanently shut down, any acquisition that is not consummated and any landfill development project that is not expected to be successfully completed. Engineering, legal, permitting, construction and other costs directly associated with the acquisition or development of a landfill, together with associated interest, are capitalized.

Selling, general and administrative, or SG&A, expenses include management salaries, clerical and administrative overhead, professional services, costs associated with our marketing and sales force and community relations expense.

Property and equipment are depreciated over the estimated useful life of the assets using the straight-line method.

Other income has not historically been material to our results of operations.

To date, inflation has not had a significant impact on our operations.

Critical Accounting Policies

We have established various accounting policies that govern the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America in the preparation of our financial statements. Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. We consider our critical accounting policies to be those accounting policies that require us to make significant estimates and assumptions that have a material impact on the carrying value of our assets and liabilities. The estimates and assumptions we use are based on historical experience and other factors, which we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ significantly from these estimates and assumptions that could have a material impact on the carrying value of our assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates and our results of operations for the reporting periods.

We believe the following are critical accounting policies that require the most significant estimates and assumptions that are particularly susceptible to a significant change in the future:

Allowance For Doubtful Accounts

We maintain allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. Our estimated allowance for doubtful accounts is based upon historical collection trends, type of customer, such as municipal or non-municipal, the age of the outstanding receivables and existing economic conditions. The allowance for doubtful

27

Table of Contents

accounts was $2.6 million and $2.3 million at December 31, 2003 and 2004, respectively. One customer, Solid Waste Management Authority of Crisp County, represented approximately $1.0 million of the allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2003 and 2004. Refer to Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for more discussion regarding the Authority. If the financial condition of our customers was to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances might be required.

Self-Insurance Reserves

We assume the risks for medical and dental insurance exposures up to certain loss thresholds set forth in separate insurance contracts. Our insurance accruals are based on claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not reported and are developed by our management with assistance from third-party experts. The insurance accruals are influenced by our past claims experience factors, which have a limited history. If we experience insurance claims or costs above or below our historically evaluated levels, our estimates could be materially affected. The frequency and amount of claims or incidents could vary significantly over time, which could materially affect our self-insurance liabilities. Additionally, the actual costs to settle the self-insurance liabilities could materially differ from the original estimates and cause us to incur additional costs in future periods associated with prior year claims.

Adoption of SFAS No. 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations

Effective January 1, 2003, we adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, or SFAS, No. 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations, which addresses financial accounting and reporting for obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs.

In connection with the adoption of SFAS No. 143, we recorded approximately $1.1 million, net of income taxes, or $0.08 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2003 as a charge to cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle. The effect of applying the provisions of SFAS No. 143 was a reduction in income before cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle for the year ended December 31, 2003 of approximately $1.0 million, net of income taxes, or $0.08 per diluted share.

Effective January 1, 2003, our method of accounting for landfill closure and post-closure, as well as landfill final capping, changed as a result of our adoption of SFAS No. 143. SFAS No. 143 does not change the basic landfill accounting that we and others in the industry have followed historically. Through December 31, 2002, the waste industry generally recognized expenses associated with (1) amortization of capitalized and future landfill asset costs and (2) future closure and post-closure obligations on a units-of-consumption basis as airspace was consumed over the life of the related landfill. This practice, referred to as life cycle accounting within the waste industry, continues to be followed. For further explanation, see Note 1. A brief explanation of final capping, closure and post-closure is as follows:

Final Capping Costs – We are required to estimate the cost of each final capping event which involves covering the landfill with a flexible membrane and geosynthetic clay liner, compacted soil layers and topsoil and provide drainage for the areas of the landfill where total airspace capacity has been consumed. The estimates also consider when these costs would be paid and factor in inflation and discount rates. For each final capping event we quantify the landfill capacity associated with each final capping event and the final capping costs and amortize it over the related capacity associated with the event as waste is disposed at the landfill.

Closure and Post-Closure Costs – Closure costs include the last final capping event, the construction of the methane gas collection system, demobilization and routine maintenance costs incurred after the site ceases to accept waste, but prior to being certified as closed. Post-closure activities, which include final landfill retirement activities once regulatory requirements are met, consist of routine maintenance of the landfill after it has closed, monitoring the ground and surface water, gas emissions and air quality. Estimates for future closure and post-closure costs are based on costs that would actually be paid and factor in inflation and discount rates. The possibility of changes to legal and regulatory requirements makes our estimates and assumptions uncertain.

We amortize landfill retirement costs arising from closure and post-closure obligations using our historical landfill accounting practices. We amortize landfill retirement costs arising from final capping obligations on a units-of-consumption basis over the number of tons of waste that each final capping event covers. We perform engineering studies using third-party experts at least annually to estimate our remaining airspace capacity.

28

Table of Contents

Landfill Accounting

We have material financial commitments for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations with respect to our landfills. We develop our estimates of final capping, closure and post-closure obligations using input from our third-party engineers and internal accounting. Our estimates are based on our interpretation of current requirements and proposed regulatory changes and are intended to approximate fair value. Absent quoted market prices, the estimate of fair value should be based on the best available information, including the results of present value techniques in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts, or SFAC, No. 7, Using Cash Flow and Present Value in Accounting Measurements. In general, we rely on third parties to fulfill most of our obligations for final capping, closure and post-closure. Accordingly, the fair market value of these obligations is based upon quoted and actual prices paid for similar work. We intend to perform some of these capping, closure and post-closure obligations using internal resources. Where internal resources are expected to be used to fulfill an asset retirement obligation, we have added a profit margin onto the estimated cost of such services to better reflect their fair market value as required by SFAS No. 143. When we then perform these services internally, the added profit margin is recognized as a component of operating income in the period earned. SFAC No. 7 further states that an estimate of fair value should include the price that marketplace participants are able to receive for bearing the uncertainties in cash flows. However, when utilizing discounted cash flow techniques, reliable estimates of market premiums may not be obtainable. In this situation, SFAC No. 7 indicates that it is not necessary to consider a market risk premium in the determination of expected cash flows. In the waste industry, there is not an active market that can be utilized to determine the fair value of these activities as there is no market that exists for selling the responsibility for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations independent of selling the landfill in its entirety. Accordingly, we believe that it is not possible to develop a methodology to reliably estimate a market risk premium and have excluded a market risk premium from our determination of expected cash flows for landfill asset retirement obligations in accordance with SFAC No. 7.

Once we have determined the estimates of final capping, closure and post-closure obligations, we then inflate those costs to the expected time of payment and discount those expected future costs back to present value. We are currently inflating these costs in current dollars until expected time of payment using an inflation rate of 2.5% and are discounting these costs to present value using a credit-adjusted, risk-free discount rate of 8.0%. The credit-adjusted, risk-free rate is based on the risk-free interest rate adjusted for our credit standing. Management reviews these estimates at least once per year. Significant changes in future final capping, closure and post-closure cost estimates and inflation rates typically result in both (1) a current adjustment to the recorded liability (and corresponding adjustment to the landfill asset), based on the landfill’s capacity that has been consumed, and (2) a change in liability and asset amounts to be recorded prospectively over the remaining capacity of the landfill. Any change related to the capitalized and future cost of the landfill asset is then recognized in amortization expense prospectively over the remaining capacity of the landfill. Changes in our credit-adjusted, risk-free rate do not change recorded liabilities, but subsequently recognized obligations are measured using the revised credit-adjusted risk-free rate.

We record the estimated fair value of final capping, closure and post-closure obligations for our landfills based on the landfills’ capacity that has been consumed through the current period. This liability and corresponding asset is accrued on a per-ton basis. The estimated fair value of each final capping event will be fully accrued when the tons associated with such capping event have been disposed in the landfill. Additionally, the estimated fair value of total final capping, closure and post-closure costs will be fully accrued for each landfill at the time the site discontinues accepting waste and is closed. Closure and post-closure accruals consider estimates for methane gas control, leachate management and ground-water monitoring and other operational and maintenance costs to be incurred after the site discontinues accepting waste, which is generally expected to be for a period of up to 30 years after final site closure. Daily maintenance activities, which include many of these costs, are incurred during the operating life of the landfill and are expensed as incurred. Daily maintenance activities include leachate disposal; surface water, groundwater, and methane gas monitoring and maintenance; other pollution control activities; mowing and fertilizing the landfill cap; fence and road maintenance; and third party inspection and reporting costs. For purchased disposal sites, we assess and record present value-based final capping, closure and post-closure obligations at the time we assume such responsibilities. Such liabilities are based on the estimated final capping, closure and post-closure costs and the percentage of airspace consumed related to such obligations as of the date we assumed the responsibility. Thereafter, we account for the landfill and related final capping, closure and post-closure obligations consistent with the policy described above.

Interest accretion on final capping, closure and post-closure obligations is recorded using the effective interest method and is recorded as final capping, closure and post-closure expense, which is included in operating costs on the income statement.

In the United States, the closure and post-closure obligations are established by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Subtitles C and D Regulations, as implemented and applied on a state-by-state basis. The costs to comply with these obligations could increase in the future as a result of legislation or regulation.

We routinely review our investment in operating landfills to determine whether the costs of these investments are realizable. Judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on regulatory factors, market conditions and operational

29

Table of Contents

performance of our landfills. Future events could cause us to conclude that impairment indicators exist and that our landfill carrying costs are impaired. Any resulting impairment loss could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

While the precise amounts of these future obligations cannot be determined, at December 31, 2004, we estimate total landfill closure and post-closure costs of approximately $5.3 million for the airspace consumed to date. Our estimate of these costs considers when the costs would actually be paid and factor in inflation and discount rates. We had accrued approximately $6.2 million for such projected costs as of December 31, 2003 and subsequently paid approximately $1.4 million in 2004. We provide accruals for these future costs (generally for a term of 30 years after final closure of any landfill), and will provide additional accruals for these and other landfills we might acquire or develop in the future, based on engineering estimates of consumption of airspace over the useful lives of such facilities. There can be no assurance that our ultimate financial obligations for actual closure or post-closure costs will not exceed the amount accrued and reserved or amounts otherwise receivable pursuant to insurance policies or trust funds. Such a circumstance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We utilize cash flow hedge agreements to manage a portion of our risks related to fluctuation in interest rates and certain commodity prices. The fair values of all derivative instruments are recorded as assets and liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets. We formally document our hedge relationships, including identifying the hedge instruments and hedged items, as well as our risk management objectives and strategies for entering into the hedge transaction. Our derivative instruments qualify for hedge accounting treatment under SFAS No. 133. In order to qualify for hedge accounting, criteria must be met, including a requirement that both at inception of the hedge, and on an ongoing basis, the hedging relationship is expected to be highly effective in offsetting cash flows attributable to the hedged risk during the term of the hedge. When it is determined that a derivative ceases to be a highly effective hedge, we discontinue hedge accounting, and any gains or losses on the derivative instrument are recognized in earnings.

Allocation of Acquisition Purchase Price

Acquisition purchase price is allocated to identified intangible assets and tangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on our estimated fair values at the dates of acquisition, with any residual amounts allocated to goodwill. Independent specialists are utilized to assist management in the determination of fair values of tangible and intangible assets. We accrue the payment of contingent purchase price if the events surrounding the contingency are deemed assured beyond a reasonable doubt. The purchase price allocations are considered preliminary until we are no longer waiting for information that we have arranged to obtain and that is known to be available or obtainable. Although the time required to obtain the necessary information will vary with circumstances specific to an individual acquisition, the “allocation period” for finalizing purchase price allocations generally does not exceed one year from the consummation of a business combination.

We often consummate single acquisitions of solid waste collection or disposal operations. For each separately identified solid waste collection or disposal operation acquired in a single acquisition, we perform an initial allocation of total purchase price to the acquired operation based on our relative fair value. Following this initial allocation of total purchase price to the acquired operation, we further allocate the identified intangible assets and tangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed for each solid waste collection or disposal operation based on our estimated fair value at the dates of acquisition, with any residual amounts allocated to either goodwill or landfill site costs, as discussed above.

From time to time, we consummate acquisitions in which we exchange operations we own for operations owned by another solid waste company. These exchange transactions require us to estimate the fair market value of either the operations we receive or the operations we dispose of, whichever is more clearly evident. To the extent that the fair market value of the operations we dispose of differs from the fair market value of the operations we obtain, cash is either remitted or received to offset the difference in fair market values. In 2004, we completed an exchange transaction in which we acquired operations of another solid waste company in Georgia for operations in Tennessee and Mississippi, resulting in a pre-tax gain of approximately $3.5 million.

Goodwill

In accordance with SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, we discontinued amortization of goodwill effective January 1, 2002. On an ongoing basis, we perform an annual impairment test. At least quarterly, we analyze whether an event has occurred that would more likely than not reduce its enterprise fair value below its carrying amount and, if necessary, will perform a goodwill impairment test between annual dates. Impairment adjustment after adoption, if any, will be recognized as an operating expense. We adopted July 31 as our annual assessment date. We completed our annual impairment test July 31, 2004 and determined that there was no goodwill impairment.

30

Table of Contents

Long-lived Assets

In accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting For The Impairment of Long-lived Assets, we review long-lived assets for impairment on a market-by-market basis whenever events or changes in the circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset might not be recoverable. If an evaluation is required, the projected future net cash flows on an undiscounted basis attributable to each market would be compared to the carrying value of the long-lived assets (including an allocation of goodwill, if appropriate) of that market. If an impairment is indicated, the amount of the impairment is measured based on the fair value of the asset. We also evaluate the remaining useful lives to determine whether events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of such lives. Any resulting impairment loss could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated the percentage of revenues represented by the individual line items reflected in our statements of operations (some items have been reclassified for presentation purposes only):

The following table provides the components of service revenue growth:

31

Table of Contents

Year Ended December 31, 2004 Compared To Year Ended December 31, 2003

Revenues. Total revenues increased $21.3 million, or 7.9%, to $291.7 million in 2004 from $270.5 million in 2003. This increase was attributable to increases across all service lines with the exception of non-commodity recycling and equipment sales; industrial collection revenue increased $6.2 million; commercial collection revenue, $5.8 million; residential collection revenue, $5.0 million; and disposal/transfer revenue, $4.2 million.

Our service revenue growth of 8.0% was comprised of 3.4% of acquisition growth and 4.2% of internal growth. We were more effective in initiating price increases in 2004 due to a disciplined approach towards customer profitability analysis and utilizing our pricing optimization software. Pricing increased 0.8%, or $2.2 million, and energy related surcharges increased 0.2%, or $0.5 million, versus 2003. Internal volume was up 3.2%, primarily from year-over-year growth in landfill tonnage, national accounts and temporary industrial business.

Total Cost of Operations. Total cost of operations increased $18.7 million, or 10.5%, to $196.0 million in 2004 from $177.3 million in 2003. Total cost of operations as a percentage of revenues increased from 65.7% to 67.8% for 2003 and 2004, respectively.

The following table summarizes the components of operating expense as a percentage of revenue:

32

Table of Contents

Selling, General & Administrative Expenses. SG&A increased $1.8 million, or 4.6%, to $39.9 million in 2004 from $38.1 million in 2003. SG&A as a percentage of revenues decreased to 13.7% in 2004 from 14.1% in 2003.

The following table summarizes the components of SG&A expenses as a percentage of revenue:

Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization decreased $1.1 million, or 3.6%, to $29.4 million in 2004 from $30.5 million in 2003. Depreciation and amortization, as a percentage of revenues, decreased to 10.1% in 2004 from 11.3% in 2003. Of this decrease, $0.5 million was related to decreased fleet depreciation due to fewer power units and maturity of depreciable lives on some assets. Landfill site and cell amortization expense was $0.6 million higher due to increased landfill tonnage. Closure/post-closure amortization costs were $1.5 million lower in 2004 due primarily to expansion permits obtained for our Sampson facility, previously deemed at airspace capacity. In accordance with SFAS No. 143, effective January 1, 2003, landfill assets are amortized to depreciation and amortization expense as airspace is consumed over the life of the specific final capping event or the life of the landfill for closure and post-closure.

Gain on Sale of Collection and Hauling Operations. We recognized a gain on sale of collection and hauling operations totaling approximately $3.5 million in 2004 from the sale of operations in Mississippi and Tennessee. In 2003, we recognized a gain of approximately $0.7 million on divestiture of assets in certain markets that did not meet our profitability goals.

Asset Impairment. We recognized a $1.4 million impairment charge in 2004 related to our determination that certain landfill permitting efforts had a less than probable chance of success. The remaining $0.3 million related to impairment of fixed assets temporarily taken out of service.

Interest Expense (net of interest income). Interest expense (net of interest income) increased $53,000 in 2004.

Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense increased $0.7 million to $6.9 million in 2004 from $6.2 million in 2003 due primarily to higher pre-tax income. The effective tax rate dropped to 36.9% in 2004 from a rate of 41.0% in 2003, which was affected by tax treatment on the sale of certain collection and hauling operations.

Cumulative Effect of a Change in Accounting Principle. Effective January 1, 2003, we adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 143, which addresses financial accounting and reporting for obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs. As a result, for the year ended December 31, 2003, we recognized a cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle of $1.1 million (net of tax benefit of $0.6 million). For a discussion of SFAS No. 143, see “Critical Accounting Policies”.

Net Income. Net income increased $4.0 million, or 50.8%, to $11.8 million in 2004 from $7.8 million in 2003. This increase was attributable to the changes explained above, most notably, $2.8 million higher gains on disposal of operations, increased sales revenue, and a lower effective tax rate.

33

Table of Contents

Year Ended December 31, 2003 Compared To Year Ended December 31, 2002