Waste Management Landfill Gas-To-Energy Project Earns `Project of the Year' Award from USEPA.

Business Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2001

Waste Management Inc.'s (NYSE:WMI) Grand Central Sanitary Landfill in Plainfield Township, Northampton County, Pa., recently received the 2000 "Project of the Year" award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) for its landfill gas-to-energy project.

The project is unique due to its community-based structure. The 10-megawatt power plant is located on Waste Management's landfill and operated by Waste Management, but a community-based, non-profit corporation named the Green Knight Economic Development Corporation (GKEDC) retains ownership of the plant and the electric sales. The GKEDC sells the "green power" to a local utility, then uses the proceeds for economic development projects that benefit the three municipalities comprising the Pen Argyl School District. The three municipalities include Plainfield Township and the boroughs of Pen Argyl and Wind Gap.

"This project is a win-win for all parties," said A. Maurice Myers, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Waste Management Inc. "We were able to find a beneficial use for our landfill gas, and, at the same time, help spur economic development in the community. This award confirms that going beyond compliance is good for business and good for the communities we serve."

Landfill gas is produced through the natural breakdown of waste deposited in a landfill. The gas, which would otherwise be wasted, is a readily available, renewable energy source that can be gathered and used directly as medium Btu gas for industrial use or can be sold to gas-to-energy plants to fuel engine or turbine-driven generators, which, in turn, generate electricity.

Waste Management currently supplies landfill gas to 38 landfill gas-to-electricity projects and to 35 medium Btu gas projects in 21 states across the United States. In all, the gas-to-electricity projects provide more than 160 MW of energy, enough to power approximately 60,000 homes. The medium Btu projects provide more than 100 MW of energy for industrial and commercial customers.

Waste Management Inc. is its industry's leading provider of comprehensive waste management services. Based in Houston, the Company serves municipal, commercial, industrial and residential customers throughout North America.

Certain statements provided in this release include statements that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements, and all phases of Waste Management Inc.'s operations, are subject to risks and uncertainties, any one of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include or relate to, among other things:

-- the impact of pending or threatened litigation and/or governmental inquiries
and investigation involving the Company.

-- the Company's ability to stabilize its accounting systems and procedures and
maintain stability.

-- the uncertainties relating to the Company's proposed strategic initiative,
including the willingness of prospective purchasers to purchase the assets the
Company identified as divestiture candidates on terms the Company finds
acceptable, the timing and terms on which such assets may be sold,
uncertainties relating to regulatory approvals and other factors affecting the
ability to prospective purchasers to consummate such transactions, including
the availability of financing and uncertainties relating to the impact of the
proposed strategic initiative on the Company's credit ratings and consequently
the availability and cost of debt and equity financing to the Company.

-- the Company's ability to successfully integrate the operations of acquired
companies with its existing operations, including risks and uncertainties
relating to its ability to achieve projected earnings estimates, achieve
administrative and operating cost savings and anticipated synergies,
rationalize collection routes, and generally capitalize on its asset base and
strategic position through its strategy of decentralized decision making; and
the risks and uncertainties regarding government-forced divestitures.

-- the Company's ability to continue its expansion through the acquisition of
other companies, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties
concerning the availability of desirable acquisition candidates, the
availability of debt and equity capital to the Company to finance acquisitions,
the ability of the Company to accurately assess the pre-existing liabilities
and assets of acquisition candidates and the restraints imposed by federal and
state statutes and agencies respecting market concentration and competitive
behavior.

-- the effect of competition on the Company's ability to maintain margins on
existing or acquired operations, including uncertainties relating to
competition with government owned and operated landfills which enjoy certain
competitive advantages from tax-exempt financing and tax revenue subsidies.

-- the potential impact of environmental and other regulation on the Company's
business, including risks and uncertainties concerning the ultimate cost to the
Company of complying with final closure requirements and post-closure
liabilities associated with its landfills and other environmental liabilities
associated with disposal at third-party landfills and the ability to obtain and
maintain permits necessary to operate its facilities, which may impact the
life, operating capacity and profitability of its landfills and other
facilities.

-- the Company's ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations to
cover its cash needs, the company's ability to obtain additional capital if
needed and the possible default under credit facilities if cash flows are lower
than expected or capital expenditures are greater than expected.

-- the potential changes in estimates from ongoing analysis of site remediation
requirements, final closure and post-closure issues, compliance and other
audits and regulatory developments.

-- the effectiveness of changes in management and the ability of the Company to
retain qualified individuals to serve in senior management positions.

-- the effect of price fluctuations of recyclable materials processed by the
Company.

-- certain risks that are inherent in operating in foreign countries that are
beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to political,
social, and economic instability and government regulations.

-- the potential impairment charges against earnings related to long-lived
assets which may result from possible future business events.

-- the effect that recent trends regarding mandating recycling, waste reduction
at the source and prohibiting the disposal of certain types of wastes could
have on volumes of waste going to landfills and waste-to-energy facilities.

-- the potential impact of government regulation on the Company's ability to
obtain and maintain necessary permits and approvals required for operations.

Additional information regarding these and/or other factors that could materially affect future results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in Part I, Item 1 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 1999 and in Part I, Item 2 of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended Sept. 30, 2000.