Waste Management (WM) is set to eliminate 5,000 jobs by the end of 2026 as part of its five-year plan to reduce reliance on physical labor in favor of automation and technology. The company, a leader in environmental services, is not laying off employees but eliminating positions through attrition, meaning vacant roles will not be refilled.
Turnover rates in some positions, such as workers at the back of trucks, reach as high as 50%, according to Fish. Instead of replacing these roles, WM will invest in automation, artificial intelligence, and logistics, with plans to spend another $500 million on technological advancements.
The initiative is part of WM’s broader effort to cut costs by $450 million, with savings reinvested into energy plants and returned to shareholders. The company’s financial performance has been strong, reporting a 13% revenue surge in Q4 2024 to $5.89 billion and an 8% increase for the full year, reaching $22.06 billion.
WM, which employs around 48,000 people worldwide, has not specified which jobs will be eliminated, but reports suggest trucking and recycling plant roles will be among those replaced by technology.
Source: Retail Wire