WM completed its acquisition of California-based Waste Resources as of May 2026, taking over residential and commercial hauling for additional customers in Carson, Gardena, Glendale, Hawaiian Gardens and Lynwood, the company confirmed in an update on May 4, 2026.

The transaction, executed through WM subsidiary USA Waste of California, closed roughly three months after municipal filings first surfaced the plan on February 6. The target operates a fleet of about 60 vehicles and holds residential waste and recycling franchise agreements across the affected cities, including an exclusive franchise covering all residential, multifamily, commercial and industrial customers in Carson.

What changed hands?

Waste Resources provides:

• Residential waste and recycling collection in Glendale, Gardena and Hawaiian Gardens
• Residential, multifamily, commercial and industrial service under an exclusive Carson franchise
• Roll-off and select commercial services, plus operations in Lynwood
• A fleet of approximately 60 vehicles

City councils in Glendale, Gardena and Hawaiian Gardens approved franchise contract assignments transferring service from Waste Resources to WM before closing. Waste Resources did not respond to a request for comment on the original announcement.

The seller is a subsidiary of Waste Resource Technologies, which also runs commercial and roll-off services in Hawaii under the Pacific Waste name. Neither company commented on whether the Hawaiian assets were included in the final deal.

Why did the owner sell?

The sale stems partly from the upcoming retirement of Waste Resources' longtime owner, Kosti Shirvanian, COO Tommy Gendal told the Gardena City Council on January 16. Gendal said the larger buyer "has a lot to bring to the city of Gardena," including resources to reach higher waste diversion rates.

Shirvanian knows the acquirer well. He founded Western Waste Industries, which USA Waste bought in the mid-1990s in a roughly $510 million purchase. USA Waste then acquired WM in 1998, and the combined company retained the WM name — making this month's deal a second reunion between the founder's assets and his former buyer.

How does it fit WM's California strategy?

WM already operates across numerous Southern California cities, including within Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment's RecycLA commercial waste franchise system. The acquisition fills gaps in that footprint by adding established municipal franchise agreements rather than competing for them through new bids.

The purchase aligns with WM's stated M&A budget. CEO Jim Fish said on the company's January 29 earnings call that WM expects 2026 acquisition spending to stay within its standard range of $100 million to $200 million.

The open question is the Hawaii portfolio: whether Pacific Waste's commercial and roll-off operations transferred along with the California assets remains undisclosed. Watch for the remaining franchise transitions in Carson and Lynwood — the local council approvals and contract assignments there determine when the full integration of Waste Resources' customer base into WM's Southern California network is complete.