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Segment and Related Information | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2022
Segment and Related Information |
Segment and Related Information | 19. Segment and Related Information Our senior management evaluates, oversees and manages the financial performance of our Solid Waste operations through two operating segments. Our East Tier primarily consists of geographic areas located in the Eastern U.S., the Great Lakes region and substantially all of Canada. Our West Tier primarily includes geographic areas located in the Western U.S., including the upper Midwest region, and British Columbia, Canada. Each of our Solid Waste operating segments provides integrated environmental services, including collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal. The East and West Tiers are presented in this report and constitute our existing Solid Waste business. The operating segments not evaluated and overseen through our East and West Tiers are presented herein as “Other” as these operating segments do not meet the criteria to be aggregated with other operating segments and do not meet the quantitative criteria to be separately reported. Summarized financial information concerning our reportable segments as of December 31 and for the year then ended is shown in the following table (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ | ​ | Gross | ​ | Intercompany | ​ | Net | ​ | Income |  | Depreciation, | ​ | Capital | ​ | Total
​ | ​ | Operating | ​ | Operating | ​ | Operating | ​ | from |  | Depletion and | ​ | Expenditures | ​ | Assets
​ |  | Revenues |  | Revenues(d) |  | Revenues |  | Operations(e) |  | Amortization |  | (f) |  | (g)(h)
Years Ended December 31: | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
2022 |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  | ​ | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |
Solid Waste: |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  | ​ | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |
East Tier | ​ | $ | 10,283 | ​ | $ | (1,977) | ​ | $ | 8,306 | ​ | $ | 2,249 | ​ | $ | 998 | ​ | $ | 1,129 | ​ | $ | 14,741
West Tier | ​ |  | 10,190 | ​ |  | (2,123) | ​ |  | 8,067 | ​ |  | 2,346 | ​ |  | 878 | ​ |  | 1,047 | ​ |  | 11,916
Solid Waste (a) | ​ |  | 20,473 | ​ |  | (4,100) | ​ |  | 16,373 | ​ |  | 4,595 | ​ |  | 1,876 | ​ |  | 2,176 | ​ |  | 26,657
Other (b) | ​ |  | 3,545 | ​ |  | (220) | ​ |  | 3,325 | ​ |  | 26 | ​ |  | 66 | ​ |  | 328 | ​ |  | 1,972
​ | ​ | ​ | 24,018 | ​ | ​ | (4,320) | ​ | ​ | 19,698 | ​ | ​ | 4,621 | ​ | ​ | 1,942 | ​ | ​ | 2,504 | ​ | ​ | 28,629
Corporate and Other (c) | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | (1,256) | ​ |  | 96 | ​ |  | 305 | ​ |  | 3,048
Total | ​ | $ | 24,018 | ​ | $ | (4,320) | ​ | $ | 19,698 | ​ | $ | 3,365 | ​ | $ | 2,038 | ​ | $ | 2,809 | ​ | $ | 31,677
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
2021 | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |
Solid Waste: | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |
East Tier | ​ | $ | 9,278 | ​ | $ | (1,738) | ​ | $ | 7,540 | ​ | $ | 2,037 | ​ | $ | 970 | ​ | $ | 708 | ​ | $ | 14,269
West Tier | ​ |  | 9,369 | ​ |  | (1,908) | ​ |  | 7,461 | ​ |  | 2,103 | ​ |  | 883 | ​ |  | 579 | ​ |  | 11,476
Solid Waste (a) | ​ |  | 18,647 | ​ |  | (3,646) | ​ |  | 15,001 | ​ |  | 4,140 | ​ |  | 1,853 | ​ |  | 1,287 | ​ |  | 25,745
Other (b) | ​ |  | 3,046 | ​ |  | (116) | ​ |  | 2,930 | ​ |  | 34 | ​ |  | 70 | ​ |  | 181 | ​ |  | 1,275
​ | ​ | ​ | 21,693 | ​ | ​ | (3,762) | ​ | ​ | 17,931 | ​ | ​ | 4,174 | ​ | ​ | 1,923 | ​ | ​ | 1,468 | ​ | ​ | 27,020
Corporate and Other (c) | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | (1,209) | ​ |  | 76 | ​ |  | 571 | ​ |  | 2,372
Total | ​ | $ | 21,693 | ​ | $ | (3,762) | ​ | $ | 17,931 | ​ | $ | 2,965 | ​ | $ | 1,999 | ​ | $ | 2,039 | ​ | $ | 29,392
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
2020 | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |
Solid Waste: | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |  | ​ |  |
East Tier | ​ | $ | 7,873 | ​ | $ | (1,503) | ​ | $ | 6,370 | ​ | $ | 1,672 | ​ | $ | 801 | ​ | $ | 537 | ​ | $ | 14,274
West Tier | ​ |  | 8,241 | ​ |  | (1,657) | ​ |  | 6,584 | ​ |  | 1,800 | ​ |  | 738 | ​ |  | 465 | ​ |  | 11,501
Solid Waste (a) | ​ |  | 16,114 | ​ |  | (3,160) | ​ |  | 12,954 | ​ |  | 3,472 | ​ |  | 1,539 | ​ |  | 1,002 | ​ |  | 25,775
Other (b) | ​ |  | 2,364 | ​ |  | (100) | ​ |  | 2,264 | ​ |  | (42) | ​ |  | 87 | ​ |  | 75 | ​ |  | 2,064
​ | ​ | ​ | 18,478 | ​ | ​ | (3,260) | ​ | ​ | 15,218 | ​ | ​ | 3,430 | ​ | ​ | 1,626 | ​ | ​ | 1,077 | ​ | ​ | 27,839
Corporate and Other (c) | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | (996) | ​ |  | 45 | ​ |  | 508 | ​ |  | 1,810
Total | ​ | $ | 18,478 | ​ | $ | (3,260) | ​ | $ | 15,218 | ​ | $ | 2,434 | ​ | $ | 1,671 | ​ | $ | 1,585 | ​ | $ | 29,649
(a) | Income from operations provided by our Solid Waste business is generally indicative of the margins provided by our collection, landfill, transfer and recycling lines of business. From time to time, the operating results of our reportable segments are significantly affected by certain transactions or events that management believes are not indicative or representative of our results.
Income from operations in our Solid Waste business increased in 2022, as compared with 2021, primarily due to revenue growth in our collection and disposal businesses driven by both yield and volume. This increase was partially offset by (i) inflationary cost pressures; (ii) labor cost increases from frontline employee wage adjustments; (iii) divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items, discussed in Note 11 above, that impacted our East Tier results and (iv) reduced profitability in our recycling business from the decline in recycling commodity prices and lower volumes. Income from operations in our Solid Waste business increased in 2021, as compared with 2020, primarily due to (i) revenue growth in our collection and disposal businesses driven by both yield and volume, as well as the acquisition of Advanced Disposal; (ii) improved profitability in our recycling business from higher market prices for recycling commodities and improved costs at facilities where we have made investments in enhanced technology and equipment and (iii) changes from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items, discussed in Note 11, that impacted both Tiers’ results. These increases were partially offset by (i) labor cost pressure from frontline employee wage adjustments, increased turnover driving up training costs and higher overtime due to driver shortages and volume growth; (ii) increased landfill depletion from higher volumes and revisions in landfill estimates, including the anticipated timing of capping, closure and post-closure activities at certain landfills and adjustments in 2020 to the inflation rate used to estimate capping, closure, and post-closure asset retirement obligations that benefitted costs in 2020 and (iii) inflationary cost pressures. During 2021, the positive earnings contributions from Advanced Disposal were offset by elevated depreciation, depletion and amortization of acquired assets.
(b) | “Other” includes (i) elements of our Strategic Business Solutions (“WMSBS”) business that are not included in the operations of our reportable segments; (ii) elements of our sustainability business that includes landfill gas-to-energy operations managed by our WM Renewable Energy business, our SES business and recycling brokerage services and not included in the operations of our reportable segments; (iii) certain other expanded service offerings and solutions and (iv) the results of non-operating entities that provide financial assurance and self-insurance support for our Solid Waste business, net of intercompany activity.
The decrease in income from operations in 2022, as compared with 2021, was due to the recognition of acquisition and integration-related costs, as well as, a prior year gain from divestitures of certain ancillary operations in our Other segment, discussed in Note 11, partially offset by improved profitability in our SES and WMSBS businesses. The increase in income from operations for 2021, as compared to 2020, was primarily driven by increased market values for renewable energy credits generated by our WM Renewable Energy business.
(c) | “Corporate and other” operating results reflect certain costs incurred for various support services that are not allocated to our reportable segments. These support services include, among other things, treasury, legal, digital, tax, insurance, centralized service center processes, other administrative functions and the maintenance of our closed landfills. Income from operations for “Corporate and Other” also includes costs associated with our long-term incentive program.
These costs increased in 2022, as compared with 2021, primarily due to strategic investments in our digital platform and sustainability initiatives, partially offset by lower acquisition and integration related costs. These costs increased in 2021, as compared with 2020, due to (i) higher incentive compensation costs; (ii) increased labor, support and integration costs following our acquisition of Advanced Disposal; (iii) strategic investments in our digital platform; (iv) increased health and welfare costs attributable to medical care activity generally returning to pre-pandemic levels from the lower levels experienced during 2020 and (v) charges pertaining to reserves for certain loss contingencies during 2021. These increases were partially offset by lower consulting, advisory and legal fees following the completion of our acquisition of Advanced Disposal in the fourth quarter of 2020 and changes in the measurement of our environmental remediation obligations and recovery assets in both 2020 and 2021.
(d) | Intercompany operating revenues reflect each segment’s total intercompany sales, including intercompany sales within a segment and between segments. Transactions within and between segments are generally made on a basis intended to reflect the market value of the service.
(e) | For those items included in the determination of income from operations, the accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in Note 2.
(f) | Includes non-cash items. Capital expenditures are reported in our reportable segments at the time they are recorded within the segments’ property and equipment balances and, therefore, include timing differences for amounts accrued but not yet paid.
(g) | The reconciliation of total assets reported above to total assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31 is as follows (in millions):
​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2022 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Total assets, as reported above | ​ | $ | 31,677 | ​ | $ | 29,392 | ​ | $ | 29,649
Elimination of intercompany investments and advances | ​ |  | (310) | ​ |  | (295) | ​ |  | (304)
Total assets, per Consolidated Balance Sheet | ​ | $ | 31,367 | ​ | $ | 29,097 | ​ | $ | 29,345
​ (h) Goodwill is included within each segment’s total assets. For segment reporting purposes, our material recovery facilities are included as a component of their respective Tiers and our recycling brokerage services are included as part of our “Other” operations. The following table presents changes in goodwill during the reported periods by segment (in millions): ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ | ​ | Solid Waste | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | East Tier |  | West Tier |  | Other |  | Total
Balance, December 31, 2020 | ​ | $ | 5,101 | ​ | $ | 3,823 | ​ | $ | 70 | ​ | $ | 8,994
Acquired goodwill (a) | ​ |  | 27 | ​ |  | 15 | ​ |  | 34 | ​ |  | 76
Divested goodwill | ​ |  | (11) | ​ |  | (7) | ​ |  | (29) | ​ |  | (47)
Foreign currency translation and other | ​ |  | 3 | ​ |  | 2 | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | 5
Balance, December 31, 2021 | ​ | $ | 5,120 | ​ | $ | 3,833 | ​ | $ | 75 | ​ | $ | 9,028
Acquired goodwill | ​ |  | 92 | ​ |  | 24 | ​ |  | 209 | ​ |  | 325
Divested goodwill | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | —
Foreign currency translation and other | ​ |  | (30) | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | — | ​ |  | (30)
Balance, December 31, 2022 | ​ | $ | 5,182 | ​ | $ | 3,857 | ​ | $ | 284 | ​ | $ | 9,323
| (a) | Includes $26 million of post-closing acquisition adjustments related to our acquisition of Advanced Disposal.
​ The mix of operating revenues from our major lines of business for the year ended December 31 are as follows (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  |  | 2022 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Commercial | ​ | ​ | $ | 5,450 | ​ | $ | 4,760 | ​ | $ | 4,102
Industrial | ​ | ​ |  | 3,681 | ​ |  | 3,210 | ​ |  | 2,770
Residential | ​ | ​ |  | 3,339 | ​ |  | 3,172 | ​ |  | 2,716
Other collection | ​ | ​ |  | 699 | ​ |  | 533 | ​ |  | 465
Total collection | ​ | ​ |  | 13,169 | ​ |  | 11,675 | ​ |  | 10,053
Landfill | ​ | ​ |  | 4,600 | ​ |  | 4,153 | ​ |  | 3,667
Transfer | ​ | ​ |  | 2,143 | ​ |  | 2,072 | ​ |  | 1,855
Recycling | ​ | ​ |  | 1,701 | ​ |  | 1,681 | ​ |  | 1,127
Other (a) | ​ | ​ |  | 2,405 | ​ |  | 2,112 | ​ |  | 1,776
Intercompany (b) | ​ | ​ |  | (4,320) | ​ |  | (3,762) | ​ |  | (3,260)
Total | ​ | ​ | $ | 19,698 | ​ | $ | 17,931 | ​ | $ | 15,218
(a) | The “Other” line of business includes (i) certain services provided by our WMSBS business; (ii) certain services within our sustainability business including our landfill gas-to-energy operations managed by our WM Renewable Energy business and (iii) certain other expanded service offerings and solutions and reflects the results of non-operating entities that provide financial assurance and self-insurance support for our Solid Waste business, net of intercompany activity. Revenue attributable to collection, landfill, transfer and recycling services provided by our “Other” businesses has been reflected as a component of the relevant line of business for purposes of presentation in this table.
(b) | Intercompany revenues between lines of business are eliminated in the Consolidated Financial Statements included within this report.
Fluctuations in our operating results may be caused by many factors, including period-to-period changes in the relative contribution of revenue by each line of business, changes in commodity prices and general economic conditions. Our revenues and income from operations typically reflect seasonal patterns. Our operating revenues tend to be somewhat higher in summer months, primarily due to the higher construction and demolition waste volumes. The volumes of industrial and residential waste in certain regions where we operate also tend to increase during the summer months. Our second and third quarter revenues and results of operations typically reflect these seasonal trends. Our 2020 operating results were negatively impacted by COVID-19, as volume declines began in March 2020 in our landfill, industrial and commercial collection businesses due to steps taken by national and local governments to slow the spread of the virus, including travel bans, prohibitions on group events and gatherings, shutdowns of certain businesses, curfews, shelter-in-place orders and recommendations to practice social distancing. Throughout 2021 and 2022, our volumes recovered from the sharp decline experienced in 2020, with minimal impact from the resurgence in transmission of COVID-19 associated with recent virus variants, as communities and businesses remained open. However, the potential for future resurgence in transmission of COVID-19 and related business closures, due to virus variants or other pandemic conditions, could adversely impact our volumes and costs in the future. Service or operational disruptions caused by severe storms, extended periods of inclement weather or climate events can significantly affect the operating results of the geographic areas affected. Extreme weather events may also lead to supply chain disruption and delayed project development, or disruption of our customers’ businesses, reducing the amount of waste generated by their operations. On the other hand, certain destructive weather and climate conditions, such as wildfires in the Western U.S. and hurricanes that most often impact our operations in the Southern and Eastern U.S. during the second half of the year, can increase our revenues in the geographic areas affected as a result of the waste volumes generated by these events. While weather-related and other event-driven special projects can boost revenues through additional work for a limited time, due to significant start-up costs and other factors, such revenue can generate earnings at comparatively lower margins. Net operating revenues relating to operations in the U.S. and Canada for the year ended December 31 are as follows (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2022 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
U.S. | ​ | $ | 18,860 | ​ | $ | 17,136 | ​ | $ | 14,505
Canada | ​ |  | 838 | ​ |  | 795 | ​ |  | 713
Total | ​ | $ | 19,698 | ​ | $ | 17,931 | ​ | $ | 15,218
​ Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and depletion, relating to operations in the U.S. and Canada for the year ended December 31 are as follows (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2022 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
U.S. | ​ | $ | 14,725 | ​ | $ | 13,428 | ​ | $ | 13,168
Canada | ​ |  | 994 | ​ |  | 991 | ​ |  | 980
Total | ​ | $ | 15,719 | ​ | $ | 14,419 | ​ | $ | 14,148
​

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- Definition The entire disclosure for reporting segments including data and tables. Reportable segments include those that meet any of the following quantitative thresholds a) it's reported revenue, including sales to external customers and intersegment sales or transfers is 10 percent or more of the combined revenue, internal and external, of all operating segments b) the absolute amount of its reported profit or loss is 10 percent or more of the greater, in absolute amount of 1) the combined reported profit of all operating segments that did not report a loss or 2) the combined reported loss of all operating segments that did report a loss c) its assets are 10 percent or more of the combined assets of all operating segments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 31 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8924-108599 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8981-108599 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8721-108599 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 40 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e9031-108599 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (f) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (e) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 26 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8844-108599 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 41 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e9038-108599 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (d) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8736-108599 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 42 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e9054-108599 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8657-108599 Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (b) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8721-108599 Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134510 + Details
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