<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 21
WASTE INDUSTRIES, INC.
WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARIES PRE-REORGANIZATION
---------------------------------------------------------------
Name State Subsidiary Since
---------------------------------------------------------------
KABCO of North Carolina, Inc. NC 4/1/96
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Enterprises, Inc. NC 4/1/96
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries East, Inc. NC 4/1/96
---------------------------------------------------------------
North Mecklenburg Sanitation, Inc. NC 4/1/96
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries South, Inc. SC 4/2/96
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Georgia, Inc. NC 3/11/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
ECO Services, Inc. GA 3/31/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
WI-ACS, Inc. NC 3/31/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Tennessee, LLC NC 5/6/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dumpsters, Inc. TN 6/16/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Reliable Trash Service, Inc. MD 6/29/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Railroad Avenue Disposal, Inc. MS 8/28/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Trans Waste Services, Inc. GA 9/19/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Curb Appeal New Home Services, Inc. NC 9/16/98
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Services of Decatur, LLC NC 1/13/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Liberty Waste Lending Company, LLC NC 1/26/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Virginia, LLC NC 2/10/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Old Kings Road Solid Waste, Inc. FL 4/14/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Quick-Way Salvage, Inc. VA 11/9/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Southern Waste Services, Inc. MS 11/15/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Southern Waste of Alabama, Inc. AL 11/15/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
S. & S. Enterprises, Inc. MS 11/15/99
---------------------------------------------------------------
Laurens County Landfill, LLC NC 2/9/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sampson County Disposal, Inc. NC 5/26/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
WasteStream Services, LLC GA 6/22/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
Safeguard Landfill Management, Inc.* GA 2/27/90
---------------------------------------------------------------
Shamrock Environmental, Inc. ** GA 9/6/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Holdings, Inc. NC 9/28/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries Mergeco, LLC NC 9/28/00
---------------------------------------------------------------
* A wholly-owned subsidiary of WasteStream Services, LLC
** A wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans Waste Services, Inc.
<PAGE>
WASTE HOLDINGS, INC.
WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARIES POST-REORGANIZATION
-------------------------------------------------
Name State
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
KABCO of North Carolina, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Enterprises, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries East, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
North Mecklenburg Sanitation, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries South, Inc. SC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Georgia, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
ECO Services, Inc. GA
-------------------------------------------------
WI-ACS, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Tennessee, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
Dumpsters, Inc. TN
-------------------------------------------------
Reliable Trash Service, Inc. MD
-------------------------------------------------
Railroad Avenue Disposal, Inc. MS
-------------------------------------------------
Trans Waste Services, Inc. GA
-------------------------------------------------
Curb Appeal New Home Services, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Services of Decatur, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
Liberty Waste Lending Company, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
Waste Industries of Virginia, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
Old Kings Road Solid Waste, Inc. FL
-------------------------------------------------
Quick-Way Salvage, Inc. VA
-------------------------------------------------
Southern Waste Services, Inc. MS
-------------------------------------------------
Southern Waste of Alabama, Inc. AL
-------------------------------------------------
S. & S. Enterprises, Inc. MS
-------------------------------------------------
Laurens County Landfill, LLC NC
-------------------------------------------------
Sampson County Disposal, Inc. NC
-------------------------------------------------
WasteStream Services, LLC GA
-------------------------------------------------
Safeguard Landfill Management, Inc.* GA
-------------------------------------------------
Shamrock Environmental, Inc. ** GA
-------------------------------------------------
* A wholly-owned subsidiary of WasteStream Services, LLC
** A wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans Waste Services, Inc.
