WASTE CONNECTIONS DEMONSTRATES PROGRESS TOWARDS ESG GOALS IN UPDATED 2024 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

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Waste Connections (WCN) has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting significant progress in its ESG initiatives. The company achieved a 40% reduction in emissions intensity from its 2019 baseline, with absolute emissions down 13%. Employee engagement showed marked improvement with a 22% decline in voluntary turnover in 2023, extending to over 40% from 2022 peak levels.

Safety metrics improved with a 7% reduction in incident rates in 2023, reaching a 13% decline from 2022 levels. The company has initiated electric vehicle testing in New York City and continues to increase recycling and biogas recovery efforts. These achievements align with their commitment to long-term value creation while maintaining sustainable business practices across their operations serving nine million customers in the U.S. and Canada.

TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Waste Connections, Inc. (TSX/NYSE: WCN) ("Waste Connections" or the "Company") today released its 2024 Sustainability Report – Connecting with the Sustainable Future. The report demonstrates progress toward the Company's aspirational ESG targets and sustainability-related objectives.

"2023 was another year of progress towards our sustainability-related goals, which we believe are inextricably linked to our focus on value creation in our business," said Ronald J. Mittelstaedt, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With a multi-year reduction of 40% in emissions intensity, we have demonstrated that outsized growth is compatible with the achievement of our long-term aspirational ESG targets."

Mr. Mittelstaedt added, "I would like to thank our 24,000 employees who embody our core values and drive our results. I'm particularly pleased by the notable momentum from reductions in voluntary turnover and the related impacts to safety-related metrics, both of which are showing ongoing improvement in 2024."

Highlights of the 2024 Sustainability Report include:

• Notable Gains in Employee Engagement: Voluntary turnover declined 22% in 2023, with continued improvement in 2024 bringing total declines of over 40% from peak levels in 2022.
  
  
• Improved Safety Metrics: Incident rates were reduced by 7% in 2023, with ongoing momentum in 2024 bringing a total decline to 13% from 2022 levels.
  
  
• Emissions Intensity Continues to Decline: Reductions in Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity of over 40% from the 2019 baseline with absolute emissions down 13%.
  
  
• Increased Resource Recovery: Continued increases in recycling and biogas recovery and beneficial reuse, including through investments in new facilities.
  
  
• Reducing Fleet Emissions: Initiated testing of electric vehicles in New York City as part of commercial franchise introduction, with additional units on order.

The Waste Connections 2024 Sustainability Report is available at wasteconnections.com/sustainability or by clicking the following link: Waste Connections 2024 Sustainability Report.

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections (wasteconnections.com) is an integrated solid waste services company that provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer and disposal services, including by rail, along with resource recovery primarily through recycling and renewable fuels generation. The Company serves approximately nine million residential, commercial and industrial customers in mostly exclusive and secondary markets across 46 states in the U.S. and six provinces in Canada. Waste Connections also provides non-hazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery and disposal services in several basins across the U.S. and Canada, as well as intermodal services for the movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest. Waste Connections views its Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") efforts as integral to its business, with initiatives consistent with its objective of long-term value creation and focused on reducing emissions, increasing resource recovery of both recyclable commodities and clean energy fuels, reducing reliance on off-site disposal for landfill leachate, further improving safety and enhancing employee engagement. Visit wasteconnections.com/sustainability for more information and updates on our progress towards targeted achievement.

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PSLRA"), including "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance and reflect Waste Connections' current beliefs and expectations regarding future events and operating performance. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the words "may," "might," "believes," "thinks," "expects," "estimate," "continue," "intends" or other words of similar meaning. All of the forward-looking statements included in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA and applicable securities laws in Canada. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the timing and amount of investments and the ability to meet or exceed long-term, aspirational sustainability targets. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC and the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in Canada.  You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.  Waste Connections undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

CONTACT:
Mary Anne Whitney / (832) 442-2253                              Joe Box / (832) 442-2153
maryannew@wasteconnections.com                              joe.box@wasteconnections.com    

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SOURCE Waste Connections, Inc.

FAQ

What are the key achievements in Waste Connections' 2024 Sustainability Report?

The 2024 report highlights a 40% reduction in emissions intensity from 2019, 22% decline in voluntary turnover in 2023, 7% reduction in incident rates, and increased resource recovery through recycling and biogas initiatives.

How much has WCN reduced its emissions since 2019?

Waste Connections has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity by over 40% from the 2019 baseline, with absolute emissions decreasing by 13%.

What improvements has Waste Connections made in employee retention for 2023-2024?

Voluntary turnover declined 22% in 2023, with continued improvement in 2024 bringing total declines of over 40% from peak levels in 2022.

How is Waste Connections implementing electric vehicles in their operations?

The company has begun testing electric vehicles in New York City as part of their commercial franchise introduction, with additional units on order.