Top 10 Largest Waste Management Companies in the World

With an ever-increasing population and in a growing appetite for physical goods it seems the waste management market is poised for a lucrative future. As it stands the global waste management market is worth over $380 billion. To understand more about how this market is distributed we’ve ranked the largest waste management companies in the world.

1. Veolia

Founded in France, Veolia primarily deals across 3 different verticals – water management, waste management and energy services. The publicly listed company operates in over 38 countries including the UK, France, Australia & NZ and many other parts of Europe. Outside of North America it is by far the most dominant force.

Fleet Size: 40,500 vehicles

Employees: 171,000

Turnover: $30.1 billion

Business Customers: 560,000

Waste-Processing Facilities: 655

2. Waste Management

The market leader in the North America that provides its services to commercial, industrial and residents throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The company boasts the largest trucking fleet in the US waste industry and has a particular focus on green operations with a large proportion of vehicles running on natural gas.

Fleet Size: 26,000 vehicles

Employees: 42,000

Turnover: $14.49 billion

Business and Residential Customers: 21 million

Waste processing Facilities: 785

3. Republic Services

Together with Waste Management, the two companies account for more than half of the market in the USA. However, unlike Waste Management, Republic Services mainly deals with bulk waste and excludes specialised waste streams such as hazardous waste. Perhaps, one of the most interesting aspects of Republic Services is its' focus on fleet automation. An estimated 75% of residential routes have been converted to automated single driver trucks allowing the company to reduce labor costs, improve driver productivity, decrease emissions, and create a safer employee environment.

Fleet Size: 16,000 vehicles

Employees: 35,000

Turnover: $9.4 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 285

4. Redmondis

Part of the Rethmann Group, Redmondis is Germanys biggest recycling firm. It operates in more than 30 countries including countries like the UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Norway, France as well as a number of Asian countries. It is able to process over 30 million tonnes of raw materials each year.

Fleet Size: 8,000

Employees: 30,000

Turnover: $7 billion

Business Customers: 200,000

Waste Processing Facilities: 800

5. Suez Environment

Suez is a French based utility company and is the number 1 private water provider in the world. While waste management isn’t their primary focus, they still provide collection services, general waste services, confidential waste, hazardous waste management, healthcare waste management, recycling services, food waste collection, waste electrical and electronic equipment management and emergency waste collection.

Fleet Size: 6,000 (Estimate)

Employees: 88,000

Turnover: $18 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 60 approx

6. Biffa

Founded in Wembley, UK and headquartered in High Wycombe, Biffa is a leading waste management company providing collection, landfill, recycling and special waste services to local authorities, industrial companies and commercial clients. It is the second largest waste management company in the UK behind Veolia. Biffa is considered to have award-winning customer service and outstanding reliability for businesses across the UK.

Fleet Size: 2,500

Employees: 6,000

Turnover: £830 million

Residential Customers: 2.5 million

Business Customers: 94,000

Waste Processing Facilities: 125 approx

7. Clean Harbours

Clean Harbours, Inc. provides environmental, energy and industrial services, including hazardous waste disposal for companies including small businesses, federal, state, provincial and local governments. It focuses mainly on the USA serving over 400 locations and also has a small presence in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The publicly listed company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has experienced steady growth since the turn of the century.

Fleet Size: 2,400

Employees: 2,100

Turnover: £3 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 400

8. Advanced Disposal Services

One of the smaller waste management companies in the USA, operating out of 16 states. The company is expected to get bought out by Waste Management with a bid of $2.8 billion valuing each stock at $30.30 per share.

Fleet Size: 3,400

Employees: 6,100

Turnover: $1.62 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 231

9. Vridor

The third largest commercial waste management company in the UK. The name Vridor quite literally means to become green. They are a recycling, renewable energy and collection company. At present the business is worth over $4 billion with recent acquisitions aimed to bolster its recycling output and waste to energy abilities.

Fleet Size: 1,200

Employees: 1,300

Turnover: $1.1 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 25

10. Stericyle

A market leader in specialised waste that mainly deals with the collection of specialised waste, regulated waste, medical waste and sharps, confidential waste management, pharmaceuticals and hazardous waste. With higher barriers to entry due to regulatory standards, Stericycle has been able to expand aggressively and now operates in over 21 countries.

Fleet Size: 2,400 (Mainly document destruction vehicles)

Employees: 24,000

Turnover: $3 billion

Waste Processing Facilities: 450 approx