PORTLAND -- Law enforcement and emergency officials will soon have help protecting Portland neighborhoods, thanks to Waste Watch® - a community safety program sponsored by Waste Management. Waste Watch® involves training Waste Management truck drivers to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for police, fire and emergency services.

Security professionals are training truck drivers this week to look and listen for suspicious activities, and then report observations to public safety and law enforcement agencies. Waste Management drivers are uniquely positioned to spot and report unusual situations because they drive neighborhood streets early in the morning when crimes often occur.

Waste Management started the Waste Watch® community safety program five years ago in Washington County. Today it is a nationally acclaimed program, serving 100 communities across North America.

"Waste Watch® is something extra we can do to help in the community," said Adam Winston, Waste Management's director of operations for Oregon and eastern Washington. "We feel privileged to work in the Portland community, and this is something we can do to promote our shared goals related to health and safety."

Since its debut in Forest Grove in 2004, Waste Watch® has grown to national acclaim for its support to law enforcement, emergency services and the Amber Alert system. It has received recognition from municipalities and organizations including USAonWatch and the National Sheriff's Association.

In Washington County, Waste Watch has resulted in several success stories, including drivers reporting document theft from dumpsters at Beaverton businesses and vandalism of vehicles in a residential neighborhood. In one situation, a Waste Management driver spotted a person in distress at 3 am. The driver called for emergency medical assistance and stayed with the person until help arrived.

About Waste Management

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. A leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States, customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. For more information, visit http://www.wm.com/ or www.thinkgreen.com

  For Further Information:
  Jackie Lang 503-705-0007
  jjlang@wm.com
  Waste Management