Clean Harbors (CLH) plans independent chair as founder Alan McKim retires
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Clean Harbors, Inc. announced that Founder and Executive Chairman Alan S. McKim plans to retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer once the Board appoints a new Chairman. The company expects to name an independent Chair in the summer of 2026 as part of a planned leadership transition.
The company states that McKim’s decision does not result from any disagreement over operations, policies or practices. The accompanying press release highlights his role in building Clean Harbors into a leading environmental and industrial services provider with more than $6 billion in annual revenue.
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Insights
Planned founder retirement shifts board leadership to an independent chair.
Clean Harbors outlines a structured transition as founder Alan S. McKim retires from the Board and CTO role following appointment of a new Chair. The Board expects to select an independent Chair in the summer of 2026, signaling a move toward more independent oversight.
The company explicitly notes that McKim’s decision does not stem from any disagreement regarding operations, policies, or practices. Leadership continuity is supported by the existing executive team, including co-chief executive officers highlighted in the press release.
Future disclosures in company filings may provide additional detail on the new Chair’s background and responsibilities, which will shape how the Board’s role evolves after McKim’s long tenure and his shift away from formal leadership positions.
8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Annual revenue: More than $6 billion
Employees: Nearly 25,000 people
Vehicle fleet: More than 20,000 vehicles
+3 more
6 metrics
Annual revenue
More than $6 billion
Company revenue under McKim’s leadership
Employees
Nearly 25,000 people
Workforce size described in press release
Vehicle fleet
More than 20,000 vehicles
Fleet size across operations in North America
Service locations
Over 900 branch locations
Network of service branches across North America
Company founding year
1980
Year Clean Harbors was founded by Alan S. McKim
Planned chair transition timing
Summer 2026
Expected appointment of an independent Chair
Key Terms
Executive Chairman, Chief Technology Officer, Regulation FD Disclosure, forward-looking statements, +2 more
6 terms
Executive Chairman financial
"its Founder and Executive Chairman, Alan S. McKim, has informed the Board"
An executive chairman is the board leader who also takes an active role in running the company, combining oversight of the board with hands-on involvement in strategy and major decisions. For investors, this matters because it concentrates influence in one person—like a team captain who both sets the game plan and plays on the field—so their judgment can speed decisions but also increases governance and succession risk that can affect stock value.
Chief Technology Officer financial
"retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer upon the Board appointing a new Chair"
The chief technology officer is the senior executive who sets a company's technology vision and oversees development, engineering, and technical operations—think of them as the lead architect and head mechanic who decides what tools the business builds and how they run. Their choices affect product direction, cost structure, cybersecurity and scalability, so investors watch the CTO to gauge a company’s ability to innovate, compete and manage technical risk.
Regulation FD Disclosure regulatory
"Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure. On May 20, 2026, the Company issued a press release"
Regulation FD disclosure requires public companies to share important, market-moving information with everyone at the same time instead of tipping off analysts or large investors first. Think of it as making sure all players on a field hear the same announcement simultaneously; that fairness helps investors trust that stock prices reflect the same information and reduces the risk of sudden, unfair trading advantages or regulatory penalties for selective leaks.
forward-looking statements regulatory
"Any statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning"
Forward-looking statements are predictions or plans that companies share about what they expect to happen in the future, like estimating sales or profits. They matter because they help investors understand a company's outlook, but since they are based on guesses and assumptions, they can sometimes be wrong.
hazardous waste management financial
"deliver a broad range of services such as end-to-end hazardous waste management, emergency spill response"
emergency spill response financial
"end-to-end hazardous waste management, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning and maintenance"
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 19, 2026
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (781 ) 792-5000
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On May 19, 2026, Alan S. McKim, serving in the capacities of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) and Chief Technology Officer, notified the Board of his intention to retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer, effective upon the Board’s appointment of a new Chairman. The appointment of an independent Chairman is anticipated to occur in the summer of 2026, as part of a planned leadership transition. Mr. McKim’s decision to retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer does not arise from, nor is it attributable to, any disagreement with the Company with respect to any matter pertaining to the Company's operations, policies, practices, or otherwise.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On May 20, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. McKim’s retirement. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit Number | Description | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press Release dated May 20, 2026 (furnished herewith) | |||||||
| 104 | The cover page to this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in iXBRL (Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language) | |||||||
1
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | |||||
| (Registrant) | |||||
| May 20, 2026 | /s/ Eric J. Dugas | ||||
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||||
2
Exhibit 99.1
Clean Harbors Announces Retirement of Founder and Executive Chairman Alan S. McKim
NORWELL, Mass. May 20, 2026 – Clean Harbors, Inc. (“Clean Harbors” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CLH) today announced that its Founder and Executive Chairman, Alan S. McKim, has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer upon the Board appointing a new Chair. The Board expects to appoint an independent Chair later this summer as part of a planned leadership transition.
McKim founded Clean Harbors in 1980 and served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 2023, when he transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman and Chief Technology Officer. Under his leadership, Clean Harbors has grown into North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services, generating more than $6 billion in annual revenue and expanding through disciplined organic investment and strategic M&A.
“Thanks to Alan’s foresight and long-term strategic approach, the Clean Harbors brand has become synonymous with world-class environmental services,” said Edward Galante, lead independent director. “Under Alan’s leadership, the Company has set industry standards for safety, compliance and service excellence. Beyond the financial results over more than four decades, Alan’s legacy is defined by the integrity and core values he embedded throughout the organization. It has been an honor to work alongside him and witness the fulfillment of his vision for the company he founded. On behalf of the entire Board, we thank Alan for his extraordinary contributions and for establishing the strong foundation on which Clean Harbors will continue to grow.”
During his tenure, McKim positioned Clean Harbors not only as the leading environmental and industrial services provider, but also as a critical emergency response partner for many of the nation’s largest and most complex incidents. The Company has played key roles in responses to events including 9/11, major hurricanes, the Deepwater Horizon disaster, avian flu outbreaks and large-scale Covid decontamination projects.
“The story of Alan McKim is, in many ways, the story of American ingenuity and execution,” said Mike Battles, Co-Chief Executive Officer. “He started Clean Harbors with three friends, a single truck, and a small garage, combined with a conviction that the emerging environmental services sector required a different standard of capability and reliability. Over the ensuing decades, he led with clarity and discipline and helped transform not only this company, but the entire industry. Today, Clean Harbors employs nearly 25,000 people, maintains a fleet of more than 20,000 vehicles and operates a network of over 900 service
Clean Harbors • 42 Longwater Drive • PO Box 9149 • Norwell, Massachusetts 02061-9149 • 800.282.0058
branch locations across North America. The scale, resilience and culture of Clean Harbors today are a direct reflection of Alan’s profound and enduring impact on this organization.”
Eric Gerstenberg, Co-Chief Executive Officer, said, “I have been privileged to work alongside Alan for more than 35 years and have tremendous respect for what he has built. The culture he developed over decades starts with an unyielding commitment to the safety of our employees, our facilities and the communities we serve. Alan also promoted technology as a core differentiator for Clean Harbors, both to enhance the value we deliver to customers and to drive sustainable competitive advantage. As a leader, he consistently challenged us to think long term, to act responsibly and to remember that every decision ultimately impacts people. His ethos is captured in our company motto: People and technology creating a cleaner, safer environment.”
Reflecting on his retirement, McKim said, “I can step back from the Company I founded with confidence, knowing that Clean Harbors is in very capable hands with a strong, engaged Board and a talented executive leadership team, led by Eric and Mike. After working for more than 50 years in the environmental industry, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family. As a blue-collar kid who grew up outside Boston with an entrepreneurial spirit and a calling to clean up the environment, I have watched Clean Harbors grow from its humble beginnings to succeeding beyond my wildest dreams. My greatest satisfaction comes from the impact Clean Harbors has had on the lives and careers of our employees and their families, and from the trust that customers have placed in us to manage hazardous materials safely and to respond in their moments of greatest need. I am confident Clean Harbors’ mission will continue as current leadership drives the Company in its next phase of growth.”
In addition to his roles at Clean Harbors, McKim serves as vice chair on Northeastern University’s Board of Trustees and on the Board of Directors of South Shore Health. He received his Master of Business Administration from Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business and holds honorary doctorates from Northeastern and Massachusetts Maritime Academy. McKim is also the author of Doing the Doing, which chronicles Clean Harbors’ journey from fledgling startup to North America’s environmental services leader.
About Clean Harbors
Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) is North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services. The Company serves a diverse customer base, including a majority of Fortune 500 companies. Its customer base spans a number of industries, including chemical, manufacturing and refining, as well as numerous government agencies. These customers rely on Clean Harbors to deliver a broad range of services such as end-to-end hazardous waste management, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning and maintenance, and recycling services. Through its Safety-Kleen subsidiary, Clean Harbors also is a leading provider of parts washers and environmental services to commercial, industrial and automotive
Clean Harbors • 42 Longwater Drive • PO Box 9149 • Norwell, Massachusetts 02061-9149 • 800.282.0058
customers, as well as North America’s largest re-refiner and recycler of used oil. Founded in 1980 and based in Massachusetts, Clean Harbors operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and India. For more information, visit www.cleanharbors.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Any statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “plans to,” “seeks,” “will,” “should,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “likely,” “potential,” “outlook” or similar expressions. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the planned Chairman of the Board transition, future financial and operating results, plans, strategy, objectives and goals, cost management initiatives, pricing and productivity initiatives, contingent liabilities, liquidity, business, economic and market conditions, trends, customer demand, impacts of tariffs and new legislation, acquisitions, growth opportunities, expectations, challenges and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the beliefs and expectations of Clean Harbors’ management as of the date of this press release only and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation: operational and safety risks; risks relating to the failure of new or existing technologies; cybersecurity risks; the occurrence of natural disasters or other catastrophic events, as well as their residual macroeconomic effects; risks associated with retaining and hiring key personnel; environmental liability and product liability risks relating to hazardous waste management and other components of the Company’s business; negative economic, industry or other developments, including market volatility or economic downturns; risks associated with management’s assumptions relating to expansion of the Company’s landfills; reductions in the demand for emergency response services at industrial facilities or on roadways, railways or waterways, and other remedial projects and regulatory developments; reductions in the demand for oil products and automotive services and volatility in oil prices in the markets the Company serves; changes in statutory and regulatory requirements and risks relating to extensive environmental laws and regulations; risks associated with existing and potential litigation; risks associated with the Company’s identification and execution of strategic capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures and their related liabilities; risks relating to the availability and sufficiency of the Company’s insurance coverage, self-insurance, surety bonds, letters of credit and other forms of financial assurance; the impact of new tax legislation or changes in tax regulations and interpretations; the imposition of trade sanctions or tariffs; fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; risks relating to the Company’s indebtedness and covenants in its debt agreements; risks associated with certain anti-takeover provisions under the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act and the Company’s By-Laws, and those items identified as “Risk Factors” in Clean Harbors’ most recently filed reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Therefore, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Clean Harbors undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly
Clean Harbors • 42 Longwater Drive • PO Box 9149 • Norwell, Massachusetts 02061-9149 • 800.282.0058
release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements other than through its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be viewed in the “Investors” section of Clean Harbors’ website at www.cleanharbors.com.
Contacts:
| Eric J. Dugas | Jim Buckley | |||||||
| EVP and Chief Financial Officer | SVP Investor Relations | |||||||
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | Clean Harbors, Inc. | |||||||
| 781.792.5100 | 781.792.5100 | |||||||
InvestorRelations@cleanharbors.com | Buckley.James@cleanharbors.com | |||||||
Clean Harbors • 42 Longwater Drive • PO Box 9149 • Norwell, Massachusetts 02061-9149 • 800.282.0058
FAQ
What leadership change did Clean Harbors (CLH) announce regarding Alan S. McKim?
Clean Harbors announced that Founder and Executive Chairman Alan S. McKim intends to retire from the Board and his role as Chief Technology Officer after the Board appoints a new Chair, as part of a planned leadership transition described in the Form 8-K and press release.
When does Clean Harbors expect to appoint a new independent Chair of the Board?
The Board expects to appoint an independent Chair later in the summer of 2026. McKim’s retirement from the Board and his Chief Technology Officer role will become effective upon that appointment, according to the company’s disclosure of the planned leadership transition.
Did Alan S. McKim’s retirement decision involve any disagreement with Clean Harbors (CLH)?
The company states that McKim’s decision to retire from the Board and his Chief Technology Officer role does not arise from any disagreement with Clean Harbors on operations, policies, practices, or other matters, addressing a key concern for investors analyzing leadership changes.
How large is Clean Harbors’ business as described in the McKim retirement announcement?
The press release notes that under McKim’s leadership Clean Harbors has grown into North America’s leading environmental and industrial services provider, generating more than $6 billion in annual revenue and operating a substantial network serving industrial, commercial, automotive and government customers across multiple countries.
What scale of operations does Clean Harbors (CLH) report in its McKim retirement press release?
Clean Harbors reports employing nearly 25,000 people, maintaining a fleet of more than 20,000 vehicles and operating a network of over 900 service branch locations across North America, illustrating the operational scale built during Alan S. McKim’s tenure at the company.
What types of services does Clean Harbors highlight in connection with Alan McKim’s retirement?
Clean Harbors highlights hazardous waste management, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning and maintenance, recycling services, and Safety-Kleen parts washer and used oil re-refining services, underscoring the breadth of environmental and industrial offerings developed under McKim’s leadership.