AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES INC
POS AM, 1996-07-25
REFUSE SYSTEMS
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<PAGE>
   
     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JULY 25, 1996
    
 
                                                       REGISTRATION NO. 333-4889
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           --------------------------
 
   
                                 POST EFFECTIVE
    
                                AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-1
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
 
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                              <C>                            <C>
           DELAWARE                          4953                  13-3858494
 (State or other jurisdiction    (Primary Standard Industrial   (I.R.S. Employer
              of                 Classification Code Number)     Identification
incorporation or organization)                                        No.)
</TABLE>
 
                              745 MCCLINTOCK DRIVE
                                   SUITE 305
                           BURR RIDGE, ILLINOIS 60521
                                 (708) 655-1105
              (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
 
                               ANN L. STRAW, ESQ.
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                              745 MCCLINTOCK DRIVE
                                   SUITE 305
                           BURR RIDGE, ILLINOIS 60521
                                 (708) 655-1105
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                           --------------------------
 
                          COPIES OF COMMUNICATIONS TO:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                       <C>
        Stephen W. Rubin, Esq.                   Howard L. Shecter, Esq.
Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn LLP          Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
            1585 Broadway                            101 Park Avenue
       New York, New York 10036                  New York, New York 10178
            (212) 969-3000                            (212) 309-6000
</TABLE>
 
                           --------------------------
 
 APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES TO THE PUBLIC:
    As soon as possible after the Registration Statement becomes effective.
                           --------------------------
 
    If  any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to  Rule 415 under the Securities Act  of
1933, check the following box: / /
 
    If  this Form  is filed  to register  additional securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration statement  number  of  the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. / /
 
    If  this Form  is a post-effective  amendment filed pursuant  to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act,  check the following box  and list the Securities  Act
registration  statement number  of the earlier  effective registration statement
for the same offering. / /
 
    If delivery of the prospectus is expected  to be made pursuant to Rule  434,
please check the following box. / /
                           --------------------------
 
    THE  REGISTRANT HEREBY  AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION  STATEMENT ON  SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A  FURTHER  AMENDMENT  WHICH SPECIFICALLY  STATES  THAT  THIS  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT  SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN  ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT  OF 1933  OR UNTIL  THE REGISTRATION  STATEMENT SHALL  BECOME
EFFECTIVE  ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A),
MAY DETERMINE.
 
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                     CROSS REFERENCE SHEET SHOWING LOCATION
           IN PROSPECTUS OF INFORMATION REQUIRED BY ITEMS OF FORM S-1
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM AND HEADING                                                 LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------------
<C>        <C>        <S>                                                 <C>
       1.  Forepart of the Registration Statement and Outside Front
            Cover Page of Prospectus....................................  Facing Page of Registration Statement; Cross
                                                                           Reference Sheet; Outside Front Cover Page
       2.  Inside Front and Outside Back Cover Pages of Prospectus......  Inside Front Cover Page; Outside Back Cover Page
       3.  Summary Information, Risk Factors and Ratio of Earnings to
            Fixed Charges...............................................  Prospectus Summary; Risk Factors; The Company
       4.  Use of Proceeds..............................................  Use of Proceeds
       5.  Determination of Offering Price..............................  Underwriting
       6.  Dilution.....................................................  Dilution
       7.  Selling Security Holders.....................................  Not applicable
       8.  Plan of Distribution.........................................  Outside Front Cover Page; Underwriting
       9.  Description of Securities to be Registered...................  Description of Capital Stock
      10.  Interest of Named Experts and Counsel........................  Not applicable
      11.  Information With Respect to the Registrant
                 (a)  Description of Business...........................  Prospectus Summary; Business; Management's
                                                                           Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
                                                                           and Results of Operations
                 (b)  Description of Property...........................  Business
                 (c)  Legal Proceedings.................................  Business
                 (d)  Dividends and Related Stockholder Matters.........  Risk Factors; Capitalization; Dividend Policy;
                                                                           Description of Capital Stock
                 (e)  Financial Statements..............................  Consolidated Financial Statements; Unaudited
                                                                           Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial
                                                                           Statements; Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated
                                                                           Financial Statements; Financial Statements of
                                                                           Acquired Companies (CDI Acquisition)
                 (f)  Selected Financial Data...........................  Prospectus Summary; Selected Consolidated
                                                                           Financial Data
                 (g)  Supplementary Financial Information...............  Not applicable
                 (h)  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
                       Condition and Results of Operations..............  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
                                                                           Condition and Results of Operations
                 (i)  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on
                       Accounting and Financial Disclosure..............  Experts
                 (j)  Directors and Executive Officers..................  Management
                 (k)  Executive Compensation............................  Management
                 (l)  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
                       and Management...................................  Principal Stockholders; Shares Eligible for Future
                                                                           Sale
                 (m)  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions....  Certain Transactions
      12.  Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification for
            Securities Act Liabilities..................................  Not applicable
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                                2,750,000 SHARES
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                 --------------
 
   
    All  of the shares of Common Stock  offered hereby are being issued and sold
by American Disposal Services,  Inc. (the "Company").  See "Underwriting" for  a
discussion  of the factors considered in determining the initial public offering
price.
    
 
    Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock
of the Company. The Common Stock has  been approved for quotation on the  Nasdaq
National Market under the trading symbol "ADSI."
 
    SEE  "RISK FACTORS" ON PAGE 6 FOR  A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN RISK FACTORS THAT
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED  BY PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS  OF THE SHARES  OF COMMON  STOCK
OFFERED HEREBY.
                              -------------------
 
THESE  SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE SECURITIES
 AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR ANY  STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION,  NOR  HAS  THE
   SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE COMMISSION  OR  ANY STATE  SECURITIES COMMISSION
     PASSED  UPON   THE   ACCURACY   OR  ADEQUACY   OF   THIS   PROSPECTUS.
      ANY   REPRESENTATION  TO   THE  CONTRARY  IS   A  CRIMINAL  OFFENSE.
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>                <C>                <C>
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<CAPTION>
                                        PRICE TO         UNDERWRITING        PROCEEDS TO
                                         PUBLIC          DISCOUNT (1)        COMPANY (2)
<S>                                 <C>                <C>                <C>
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per Share.........................        $9.00              $0.63              $8.37
Total (3).........................     $24,750,000        $1,732,500         $23,017,500
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
    
 
(1)  See  "Underwriting"  for  information  concerning  indemnification  of  the
    Underwriters and other information.
 
(2)  Before deducting expenses of the  offering payable by the Company estimated
    at $1,000,000.
 
   
(3) The Underwriters  have been granted  an option, exercisable  within 30  days
    from  the date hereof, to purchase up to 412,500 additional shares of Common
    Stock, at the Price to Public per share, less the Underwriting Discount, for
    the purpose  of  covering  over-allotments,  if  any.  If  the  Underwriters
    exercise  such  option  in full,  the  total Price  to  Public, Underwriting
    Discount and  Proceeds  to  Company  will  be  $28,462,500,  $1,992,375  and
    $26,470,125, respectively. See "Underwriting."
    
                              -------------------
 
   
    The  shares of Common Stock are offered  by the Underwriters when, as and if
delivered to and accepted by them, subject to their right to withdraw, cancel or
reject orders in whole or in part and subject to certain other conditions. It is
expected that delivery of the certificates representing the shares will be  made
against  payment on or about July 30, 1996, at the offices of Oppenheimer & Co.,
Inc., Oppenheimer Tower, World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281.
    
                              -------------------
OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.                                          CS FIRST BOSTON
 
   
                 The date of this Prospectus is July 25, 1996.
    
<PAGE>
                                 [MAP]
 
                              -------------------
 
    IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR  EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS  WHICH  STABILIZE OR  MAINTAIN THE  MARKET  PRICE OF  THE COMPANY'S
COMMON STOCK AT A  LEVEL ABOVE THAT  WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE  PREVAIL IN THE  OPEN
MARKET. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
    DURING  THIS OFFERING, CERTAIN PERSONS AFFILIATED WITH PERSONS PARTICIPATING
IN THE DISTRIBUTION MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNTS OR FOR THE
ACCOUNTS OF OTHERS  IN THE COMPANY'S  COMMON STOCK PURSUANT  TO EXEMPTIONS  FROM
RULES 10B-6, 10B-7, AND 10B-8 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.
 
    The  Company intends to  furnish its stockholders  annual reports containing
financial statements audited by its independent certified public accountants and
quarterly reports for the  first three quarters of  each fiscal year  containing
unaudited financial information.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
    THE  FOLLOWING SUMMARY  IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY  THE MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION AND THE COMPANY'S  CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (INCLUDING  THE
NOTES   THERETO)  APPEARING  ELSEWHERE  IN  THIS  PROSPECTUS.  UNLESS  OTHERWISE
INDICATED,  ALL  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION,  SHARE  AND  PER  SHARE  DATA  IN  THIS
PROSPECTUS:  (I) GIVE EFFECT TO  AN EXCHANGE OF THE  COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK, PAR
VALUE $.01 PER  SHARE ("COMMON STOCK"),  IN CONNECTION WITH  THE FORMATION OF  A
HOLDING COMPANY, EFFECTIVE AS OF JANUARY 1, 1996; (II) GIVE EFFECT TO A 13.5 FOR
1  STOCK SPLIT; (III)  EXCLUDE 1,085,070 SHARES  OF COMMON STOCK  OF THE COMPANY
ISSUABLE UPON  EXERCISE OF  OUTSTANDING  WARRANTS AND  STOCK OPTIONS;  AND  (IV)
ASSUME  NO EXERCISE OF THE UNDERWRITERS'  OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION. AS USED IN THIS
PROSPECTUS,  THE  TERMS  "COMPANY"   AND  "AMERICAN  DISPOSAL  SERVICES"   REFER
COLLECTIVELY  TO AMERICAN DISPOSAL  SERVICES, INC. AND  ITS SUBSIDIARIES, UNLESS
THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES.
                            ------------------------
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    American Disposal Services  is a regional,  integrated, non-hazardous  solid
waste  services  company  that  provides solid  waste  collection,  transfer and
disposal services primarily in  the Midwest. The Company  owns five solid  waste
landfills  and owns, operates  or has exclusive contracts  to receive waste from
seven transfer  stations.  The Company's  landfills  and transfer  stations  are
supported  by its  collection operations,  which serve  over 85,000 residential,
commercial and industrial customers.
 
   
    The Company began its operations in the Midwest and currently has operations
in Arkansas, Illinois,  Kansas, Missouri, Ohio,  Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.  The
Company  has  adopted  an  acquisition-based  growth  strategy,  and  intends to
continue its  expansion, generally  in  its existing  and proximate  markets.  A
cornerstone  of the Company's  growth strategy is to  identify and acquire solid
waste landfills located in secondary  markets that are within approximately  125
miles  of significant metropolitan centers and to secure dedicated waste streams
for such  landfills  by acquisition  or  development of  transfer  stations  and
acquisition   of  collection   companies.  The   Company  expects   the  current
consolidation trends in the solid waste industry to continue as many independent
landfill and collection operators lack the capital resources, management  skills
and  technical expertise  necessary to  operate in  compliance with increasingly
stringent environmental and other governmental regulations. Due in part to  this
consolidation,  the  Company believes  that  significant opportunities  exist to
expand and further  integrate its operations  in each of  its existing  markets.
Since  January  1993,  the  Company  has  acquired  23  solid  waste businesses,
including four solid waste  landfills, 18 solid  waste collection companies  and
one transfer station.
    
 
    The  Company's operating program generally involves a four-step process: (i)
acquiring solid waste  landfills in  its target markets;  (ii) securing  captive
waste  streams  for  its landfills  through  the acquisition  or  development of
transfer stations  serving those  markets,  through acquisitions  of  collection
companies  and by entering  into long-term contracts  directly with customers or
collection  companies;  (iii)  making   "tuck-in"  acquisitions  of   collection
companies  to further penetrate  its target markets;  and (iv) integrating these
businesses into the Company's operations  to achieve operating efficiencies  and
economies  of scale.  The implementation of  the Company's  operating program is
substantially complete in  its Missouri  region (which  also includes  Arkansas,
Kansas  and Oklahoma),  where the  Company has  completed the  acquisition of 12
collection companies  and  the  acquisition or  development  of  three  transfer
stations.  The Company is in the initial  phases of its operating program in the
Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania regions in which the Company began operations in
1995. In addition, the  Company may, as  specific opportunities arise,  evaluate
and pursue acquisitions in the solid waste collection and disposal industry that
do not strictly conform to the Company's four-step operating program.
 
    The  Company's operating  strategy emphasizes  the integration  of its solid
waste collection  and  disposal  operations and  the  internalization  of  waste
collected.  One  of  the  Company's  goals  is  for  its  captive  waste streams
(including the Company's collection operations and third party haulers operating
under long-term contracts) to provide  in excess of 50%  of the volume of  solid
waste  disposed of at each of its landfills. During the three months ended March
31, 1996, the Company's  captive waste constituted  an average of  approximately
63% of the solid waste disposed of at its landfills.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
    Each  member of the Company's senior operating management team has worked at
a senior level in the solid waste industry in the Midwest for over 10 years.
 
    The Company has recorded net losses to common stockholders of  approximately
$749,000,  $2.4 million and $3.7 million  during the fiscal years ended December
31, 1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively. Additionally, the Company has had working
capital deficits in the past, and at  March 31, 1996, the Company had a  working
capital deficit of approximately $9.6 million.
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    Prospective  purchasers of the Common  Stock offered hereby should carefully
consider the factors  set forth under  the caption "Risk  Factors." Among  other
things, prospective purchasers should be aware of the risks associated with: (i)
the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; (ii) the availability of
acquisition  targets and integration of future acquisitions; (iii) the Company's
history of losses and working capital deficits and its integration of  completed
acquisitions;  (iv) the Company's  limited operating history;  (v) the Company's
significant leverage;  (vi)  the Company's  ability  to compete  in  the  highly
competitive  solid  waste  collection  and  disposal  industry;  and  (vii)  the
Company's ability  to  fund  future capital  requirements  and  working  capital
deficits.
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
Common Stock offered..............  2,750,000 shares
Common Stock outstanding after the
 Offering.........................  8,426,901 shares (1)
Use of proceeds...................  Reduction of indebtedness, acquisitions, working capital
                                    and general corporate purposes.
Nasdaq National Market symbol.....  ADSI
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
(1) Does not include 1,085,070 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
    of warrants and stock options outstanding as of March 31, 1996.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                   SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       PRO FORMA     THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                         YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,       YEAR ENDED         MARCH 31,
                                                     -------------------------------  DECEMBER 31,  ---------------------
                                                       1993       1994       1995       1995 (1)      1995        1996
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  ---------  ----------
<S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenues...........................................  $   7,730  $  18,517  $  30,004   $   44,500   $   5,034  $  11,724
Cost of operations.................................      5,750     12,647     17,286       22,330       3,047      6,108
Selling, general and administrative expenses.......      1,646      4,910      5,882        9,493       1,080      1,935
Depreciation and amortization expense..............      1,166      3,226      6,308       13,040         984      2,718
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  ---------  ----------
Operating income (loss)............................       (832)    (2,266)       528         (363)        (77)       963
Interest expense...................................       (417)    (1,497)    (3,030)      (5,314)       (511)    (1,617)
Interest income....................................         35          2        189          189           4         78
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  ---------  ----------
Loss before income taxes and extraordinary item....     (1,214)    (3,761)    (2,313)      (5,488)       (584)      (576)
Income tax benefit (expense).......................        391      1,372       (332)        (332)        156        160
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ------------  ---------  ----------
Loss before extraordinary item.....................       (823)    (2,389)    (2,645)  $   (5,820)       (428)      (416)
                                                                                      ------------
                                                                                      ------------
Extraordinary item -- gain (loss) on early
 retirement of debt................................         74         --       (908)                      --         --
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------                ---------  ----------
Net loss...........................................       (749)    (2,389)    (3,553)                    (428)      (416)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of
 subsidiary........................................         --         --       (190)                      --        (63)
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------                ---------  ----------
Net loss to common stockholders....................  $    (749) $  (2,389) $  (3,743)               $    (428) $    (479)
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------                ---------  ----------
                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------                ---------  ----------
Pro forma net loss per share of common stock.......                                    $     (.99)
                                                                                      ------------
                                                                                      ------------
Pro forma weighted average common stock and common
 stock equivalent shares used to calculate pro
 forma net loss per share amounts..................                                     5,864,078
                                                                                      ------------
                                                                                      ------------
Supplemental pro forma net loss per share of common
 stock (5).........................................                                    $     (.67)
                                                                                      ------------
                                                                                      ------------
OTHER DATA:
EBITDA (2).........................................  $     334  $     960  $   6,836   $   12,677   $     907  $   3,681
EBITDA margin (3)..................................        4.3%       5.2%      22.8%        28.5%       18.0%      31.4%
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              MARCH 31, 1996
                                                                                       ----------------------------
                                                                                         ACTUAL     AS ADJUSTED (4)
                                                                                       -----------  ---------------
<S>                                                                                    <C>          <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash and cash equivalents............................................................   $   6,706      $  12,715
Working capital (deficit)............................................................      (9,558)        11,325
Property and equipment, net..........................................................      81,696         81,696
Total assets.........................................................................     115,432        122,720
Long-term debt, net of current portion...............................................      49,006         51,779
Redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary.............................................       1,908             --
Total stockholders' equity...........................................................      33,318         54,860
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
(1)  Pro  forma information for the year ended December 31, 1995 gives effect to
     the  CDI  Acquisition  (as  defined   in  "The  Company")  and   borrowings
     outstanding  under  the Credit  Facility (as  defined  in "Risk  Factors --
     Significant Leverage") and the application  of the net proceeds  therefrom,
     as  if each of the  foregoing had occurred or been  in effect on January 1,
     1995. See the Pro  Forma Consolidated Statement  of Operations and  related
     notes included elsewhere herein.
 
(2)  EBITDA  represents  operating  income plus  depreciation  and amortization.
     While EBITDA data  should not be  construed as a  substitute for  operating
     income,  net income (loss)  or cash flows from  operations in analyzing the
     Company's operating  performance, financial  position and  cash flows,  the
     Company  has included  EBITDA data  (which are  not a  measure of financial
     performance under  generally  accepted accounting  principles)  because  it
     understands  that  such  data are  commonly  used by  certain  investors to
     evaluate a company's performance in the solid waste industry.
 
(3)  EBITDA margin represents EBITDA expressed as a percentage of revenues.
 
(4)  Adjusted to give effect to borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility
     and the application  of the  net proceeds therefrom,  and the  sale of  the
     Common  Stock  offered  hereby and  the  application of  the  estimated net
     proceeds therefrom as described in "Use of Proceeds." See "Capitalization."
 
   
(5)  Supplemental pro forma  net loss  per share of  Common Stock  for the  year
     ended  December 31, 1995 represents pro forma  net loss per share of Common
     Stock adjusted to  give effect  to the  issuance of  1,375,000 shares,  the
     number  of shares of Common Stock being issued in the Offering the proceeds
     of which are being used to repay approximately $11.0 million of the  Credit
     Facility,  as if such issuance and repayment was completed on the first day
     of the period presented, and a related reduction in interest expense.
    
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    AN INVESTMENT IN THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK BEING OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS
INVOLVES   A  HIGH  DEGREE  OF  RISK.  IN  ADDITION,  THIS  PROSPECTUS  CONTAINS
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS  THAT INVOLVE  RISKS AND  UNCERTAINTIES.  DISCUSSIONS
CONTAINING  SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS MAY  BE FOUND  IN THE  MATERIAL SET
FORTH UNDER "PROSPECTUS SUMMARY,"  "RISK FACTORS," "MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION  AND
ANALYSIS  OF  FINANCIAL  CONDITION  AND  RESULTS  OF  OPERATIONS,"  "BUSINESS --
INTRODUCTION,"  "BUSINESS  --  INDUSTRY  BACKGROUND,"  "BUSINESS  --  STRATEGY,"
"BUSINESS  -- ACQUISITION  PROGRAM," "BUSINESS  -- OPERATIONS"  AND "BUSINESS --
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS" AS WELL AS IN THE PROSPECTUS GENERALLY. THE COMPANY'S
ACTUAL  RESULTS  COULD  DIFFER  MATERIALLY  FROM  THOSE  ANTICIPATED  IN   THESE
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS AS A RESULT OF  CERTAIN FACTORS, INCLUDING THOSE SET
FORTH  IN  THE  FOLLOWING  RISK  FACTORS  AND  ELSEWHERE  IN  THIS   PROSPECTUS.
ACCORDINGLY,  PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING RISK
FACTORS, IN ADDITION  TO THE OTHER  INFORMATION CONCERNING THE  COMPANY AND  ITS
BUSINESS  CONTAINED IN THIS  PROSPECTUS, BEFORE PURCHASING  THE SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK OFFERED HEREBY.
 
ABILITY TO MANAGE GROWTH
 
    The Company's goal is to increase the scale of its operations  significantly
through  the acquisition  of other solid  waste businesses  and through internal
growth. Consequently, the Company  may experience periods  of rapid growth  with
significantly  increased staffing level requirements.  Such growth could place a
significant strain on the Company's management and on its operational, financial
and other resources.  The Company's ability  to maintain and  manage its  growth
effectively  will  require  it  to develop  its  management  information systems
capabilities and improve  its operational  and financial  systems and  controls.
Moreover,  the Company will need to  attract, train, motivate, retain and manage
its senior managers, technical professionals and other employees. Any failure to
expand its management information system capabilities, to implement and  improve
its  operational and  financial systems and  controls or  to recruit appropriate
additional personnel  in an  efficient  manner at  a  pace consistent  with  the
Company's  business growth would have a material adverse effect on the Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
AVAILABILITY OF ACQUISITION TARGETS; INTEGRATION OF FUTURE ACQUISITIONS
 
    The  Company's  ongoing  acquisition  program  is  a  key  element  of   its
acquisition-based  growth  strategy  for expanding  its  solid  waste management
services. Consequently, the future growth of  the Company depends in large  part
upon  the successful continuation  of this acquisition  program. The Company may
encounter substantial competition in its efforts to acquire landfills,  transfer
stations  and collection companies.  There can be no  assurance that the Company
will succeed  in locating  or acquiring  appropriate acquisition  candidates  at
price levels and on terms and conditions that the Company considers appropriate.
In  addition, if in the  future the Company is  successful in acquiring targeted
companies, it will need to integrate these acquired companies into the Company's
operations. There  can  be  no  assurance that  the  Company  will  successfully
integrate  future acquisitions into its  operations. See "Business -- Strategy,"
"-- Acquisition Program" and "-- Competition."
 
HISTORY OF LOSSES AND WORKING CAPITAL DEFICITS; INTEGRATION OF COMPLETED
ACQUISITIONS
 
   
    The Company has recorded net losses to common stockholders of  approximately
$749,000,  $2.4 million and $3.7 million  during the fiscal years ended December
31, 1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively,  and has had working capital deficits  in
the  past. See  "-- Funding of  Future Capital Requirements  and Working Capital
Deficits" and "Management's Discussion and  Analysis of Financial Condition  and
Results  of Operations --  Introduction." The financial  position and results of
operations of the Company will depend to a large extent on the Company's ability
to integrate effectively the operations of the 23 companies it has acquired from
January 1993 to date and to realize expected efficiencies and economies of scale
from such acquisitions. There can be no assurance that the Company's efforts  to
integrate  these operations  will be  effective, that  expected efficiencies and
economies of  scale  will be  realized  or that  the  Company will  be  able  to
consolidate  successfully its  operations. The failure  to achieve  any of these
results could cause  the Company's net  losses and working  capital deficits  to
continue  and could  have a material  adverse effect on  the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations.
    
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
LIMITED OPERATING HISTORY
 
    Following the  Exchange (as  defined in  "The Company"),  the Company  began
operating  as a consolidated  entity effective as  of January 1,  1996. Prior to
1996, the Company's operations  were conducted by ADS,  Inc. ("ADS") and  County
Disposal, Inc. ("CDI"), two subsidiaries of the Company, the operations of which
were  acquired by  the Company's  stockholders in  1993 and  1995, respectively.
Accordingly, the Company has  a limited history of  operating as a  consolidated
entity  and may experience  difficulties as it integrates  the operations of its
subsidiaries.
 
SIGNIFICANT LEVERAGE
 
   
    The Company has  incurred significant  debt obligations  in connection  with
financing  its acquisitions and business growth. In May 1996 the Company entered
into an $87 million revolving credit and term loan facility with  Internationale
Nederlanden  (U.S.)  Capital Corporation,  as  administrative agent,  and Morgan
Guaranty Trust  Company  of  New  York,  as  documentation  agent  (the  "Credit
Facility").  As of March  31, 1996, the  Company's consolidated indebtedness was
$67.6 million,  its  consolidated  total  assets were  $115.4  million  and  its
stockholders'  equity was  $33.3 million  (or $53.6,  $122.7 and  $54.9 million,
respectively, as adjusted  to give  effect to borrowings  outstanding under  the
Credit  Facility and the application of the net proceeds therefrom, and the sale
of the Common  Stock offered  hereby and the  application of  the estimated  net
proceeds  therefrom  as described  under "Use  of  Proceeds"). During  the three
months ended March 31,  1996, the Company's  operating income plus  depreciation
and  amortization ("EBITDA") was $3.7 million,  and interest expense during this
period was  $1.6  million.  The  Company's ability  to  meet  its  debt  service
obligations   and  to  reduce  its  total  debt  will  depend  upon  its  future
performance, which, in turn, will be subject to general economic conditions  and
to  financial,  business  and  other factors  affecting  the  operations  of the
Company, many of which are beyond the Company's control. If the Company fails to
generate sufficient cash flow to repay its debt, the Company may be required  to
refinance  all  or  a portion  of  its  existing debt  or  to  obtain additional
financing. There can  be no assurance  that such refinancing  or any  additional
financing  could be obtained  on terms favorable  to the Company  or at all. See
"Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results  of
Operations -- Liquidity and Capital Resources."
    
 
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY
 
    The  solid waste collection and disposal  business is highly competitive and
requires substantial  amounts of  capital. The  Company competes  with  numerous
solid  waste management  companies, many of  which are  significantly larger and
have greater financial  resources than  the Company. The  Company also  competes
with  those  counties, municipalities  and solid  waste districts  that maintain
their  own   waste  collection   and   disposal  operations.   These   counties,
municipalities  and solid waste  districts may have  financial advantages due to
the availability to them of user fees,  charges or tax revenues and the  greater
availability  to  them of  tax-exempt  financing. In  addition,  competitors may
reduce the price of their services in an effort to expand market share or to win
competitively bid  municipal  contracts. There  can  be no  assurance  that  the
Company will be able to compete successfully. See "Business -- Competition."
 
FUNDING OF FUTURE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CAPITAL DEFICITS
 
    The  Company's acquisition-based  growth strategy  has resulted  in a steady
increase in its  capital requirements,  and such  increase may  continue in  the
future  as the  Company pursues its  strategy. The Company  has incurred working
capital deficits in the past, and there  can be no assurance that its  available
working  capital  will be  sufficient in  the  future as  it pursues  its growth
strategy. At  March 31,  1996, the  Company  had a  working capital  deficit  of
approximately $9.6 million. For calendar year 1996, the Company expects to spend
approximately   $13  million  for  capital  expenditures.  To  the  extent  that
internally generated  cash, the  cash  available to  the  Company from  the  net
proceeds  of the Offering and  cash available under the  Credit Facility are not
sufficient  to  provide  the  cash  required  for  future  operations,   capital
expenditures,  acquisitions, debt repayment  obligations and financial assurance
obligations, the Company  will require  additional equity or  debt financing  in
order  to  provide such  cash. There  can  be no  assurance, however,  that such
financing will be available or, if  available, will be on terms satisfactory  to
the Company. Where appropriate, the Company may seek to minimize the use of cash
to finance its acquisitions by using capital
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
stock,  assumption of indebtedness or notes.  However, there can be no assurance
the owners of the businesses the Company may wish to acquire will be willing  to
accept  non-cash consideration in whole or in part. See "Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and  Results of Operations -- Liquidity  and
Capital Resources" and "Business -- Acquisition Program."
 
DEPENDENCE ON THIRD PARTY COLLECTION OPERATIONS
 
    A  portion  of  the solid  waste  delivered  to the  Company's  landfills is
delivered by third  party collection  companies under  informal arrangements  or
without   long-term  contracts.  If  these   third  parties  discontinued  their
arrangements with the Company  and if the Company  were unable to replace  these
third  party arrangements  without incurring  significant additional  costs, the
Company's business,  financial  condition and  results  of operations  might  be
materially adversely affected.
 
LIMITATIONS ON EXPANSION
 
    The Company's operating program depends on its ability to expand and develop
its  landfills,  transfer stations  and  collection operations.  The  process of
obtaining permits  to  operate or  expand  solid waste  landfills  and  transfer
stations  has become increasingly difficult  and expensive, often taking several
years, requiring numerous hearings and compliance with zoning, environmental and
other regulatory measures, and often being subject to resistance from citizen or
other groups. There can be no assurance  that the Company will be successful  in
obtaining  the permits it requires or that such permits will not contain onerous
terms and conditions. An inability to receive such permits could have a material
adverse effect on  the Company's  business, financial condition  and results  of
operations.  See "-- Extensive Environmental and Land Use Laws and Regulations."
In some areas, suitable  land may be unavailable  for new landfill sites.  There
can  be  no assurance  that  the Company  will  be successful  in  obtaining new
landfill sites or expanding the permitted capacity of its current landfills once
its landfill capacity  has been consumed.  In such event,  the Company could  be
forced  to dispose of collected waste  at landfills operated by its competitors,
which could have a  material adverse effect on  the Company's landfill  revenues
and collection expenses. See "Business -- Operations -- Landfills."
 
EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND USE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
 
    The  Company is subject to extensive and evolving environmental and land use
laws and regulations, which have  become increasingly stringent in recent  years
as  a  result of  greater  public interest  in  protecting and  cleaning  up the
environment. These laws and  regulations affect the  Company's business in  many
ways,  including as set forth below. See "Business -- Environmental Regulations"
for further information concerning the matters set forth below.
 
    EXTENSIVE PERMITTING  REQUIREMENTS.   In  order  to develop  and  operate  a
landfill or other solid waste management facility, it is necessary to obtain and
maintain  in  effect  one  or  more  facility  permits  and  other  governmental
approvals, including those  related to  zoning, environmental and  land use.  In
addition, the Company may be required to obtain similar permits and approvals in
order  to expand  its existing landfill  and solid  waste management operations.
These permits and approvals are difficult  and time consuming to obtain and  are
frequently  subject to community opposition, opposition by various local elected
officials or citizens and other  uncertainties. In addition, after an  operating
permit  for a landfill or other facility  is obtained, the permit may be subject
to modification or revocation by the issuing agency, and it may be necessary  to
obtain  periodically a renewal of the permit, which may reopen opportunities for
opposition to the permit. Moreover, from  time to time, regulatory agencies  may
delay  the review or grant of these  required permits or approvals or may modify
the procedures or  increase the stringency  of the standards  applicable to  its
review  or grant of such permits or  approvals. In addition, the Company may not
be able to ensure that  its landfill operations are  included and remain in  the
solid  waste management plan of the state or county in which such operations are
conducted. The Company may also  have difficulty obtaining host agreements  with
counties   or  local  communities,  or  existing  host  communities  may  demand
modifications of existing host agreements in connection with planned expansions,
either of which could increase the Company's costs and reduce its margins. There
can be  no  assurance that  the  Company will  be  successful in  obtaining  and
maintaining  in effect  the permits  and approvals  required for  the successful
operation and growth of  its business, including  permits or approvals  required
for  planned landfill expansions,  and the failure  by the Company  to obtain or
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
maintain in  effect  a  permit  significant to  its  business  could  materially
adversely  affect  the Company's  business, financial  condition and  results of
operations. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations -- Liquidity and Capital Resources."
 
    DESIGN, OPERATION  AND  CLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.    The design,  operation  and
closure  of landfills  are subject  to extensive  regulations. These regulations
include,  among  others,   the  regulations  (the   "Subtitle  D   Regulations")
establishing   minimum  federal  requirements  adopted   by  the  United  States
Environmental Protection Agency (the "EPA") in October 1991 under Subtitle D  of
the  Resource Conservation  and Recovery  Act of  1976 ("RCRA").  The Subtitle D
Regulations generally became effective  on October 9,  1993 (except for  certain
municipal  solid waste  landfills accepting  less than 100  tons per  day, as to
which the  effective  date  was  April 9,  1994,  and  new  financial  assurance
requirements,  which  are  scheduled to  become  effective April  9,  1997). The
Subtitle D  Regulations  require  all  states  to  adopt  regulations  regarding
landfill design, operation and closure requirements that are as stringent as, or
more  stringent  than,  the Subtitle  D  Regulations.  All states  in  which the
Company's landfills are  located have  in place  extensive landfill  regulations
consistent with the Subtitle D requirements. These federal and state regulations
require  the  Company  to  design  the  landfill  in  accordance  with stringent
technical requirements,  monitor  groundwater, post  financial  assurances,  and
fulfill  landfill closure and post-closure  obligations. These regulations could
also require the  Company to  undertake investigatory,  remedial and  monitoring
activities,  to  curtail  operations  or  to  close  a  landfill  temporarily or
permanently. Furthermore, future  changes in these  regulations may require  the
Company to modify, supplement, or replace equipment or facilities at costs which
may be substantial.
 
    LEGAL  AND  ADMINISTRATIVE  PROCEEDINGS.   In  the  ordinary  course  of its
business,  the  Company  may  become  involved   in  a  variety  of  legal   and
administrative  proceedings  relating to  land  use and  environmental  laws and
regulations. These may include proceedings  by federal, state or local  agencies
seeking  to impose civil or criminal penalties  on the Company for violations of
such laws  and regulations,  or to  impose liability  on the  Company under  the
Comprehensive  Environmental Response,  Compensation, and Liability  Act of 1980
("CERCLA") or  comparable state  statutes, or  to revoke  or deny  renewal of  a
permit; actions brought by citizens' groups, adjacent landowners or governmental
entities  opposing  the issuance  of  a permit  or  approval to  the  Company or
alleging violations of  the permits pursuant  to which the  Company operates  or
laws  or regulations  to which  the Company is  subject; and  actions seeking to
impose liability on  the Company for  any environmental damage  at its  landfill
sites  or that  its landfills  or other properties  may have  caused to adjacent
landowners or others, including groundwater  or soil contamination. The  Company
could  incur substantial legal expenses during  the course of the aforementioned
proceedings, and the adverse outcome of  one or more of these proceedings  could
materially  adversely  affect the  Company's  business, financial  condition and
results of operations. See "Business -- Legal Proceedings."
 
    During the ordinary course of its  operations, the Company has from time  to
time  received, and  expects that  it may  in the  future receive,  citations or
notices from governmental authorities that its operations are not in  compliance
with  its  permits or  certain  applicable environmental  or  land use  laws and
regulations. The Company generally seeks to work with the authorities to resolve
the issues  raised by  such citations  or notices.  There can  be no  assurance,
however,  that the  Company will  always be successful  in this  regard, and the
failure to  resolve a  significant issue  could result  in one  or more  of  the
adverse   consequences  to   the  Company   described  below   under  "Potential
Liabilities."
 
    POTENTIAL LIABILITIES.   There may  be various adverse  consequences to  the
Company  in the  event that a  facility owned or  operated by the  Company (or a
predecessor owner or operator  whose liabilities the  Company may have  acquired
expressly or under successor liability theories) causes environmental damage, in
the  event  that waste  transported  by the  Company  (or a  predecessor) causes
environmental damage at another site, in the event that the Company fails (or  a
predecessor  failed) to comply  with applicable environmental  and land use laws
and regulations or the terms of a permit or outstanding consent order or in  the
event  the  Company's owned  or  operated facility  or  the soil  or groundwater
thereunder is  or becomes  contaminated.  These may  include the  imposition  of
substantial  monetary  penalties  on  the  Company;  the  issuance  of  an order
requiring the curtailment or termination of the operations involved or affected;
the revocation or denial of permits  or other approvals necessary for  continued
operation  or landfill expansion; the imposition  of liability on the Company in
respect of any environmental damage (including groundwater
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
or soil contamination)  at its  landfill sites or  that its  landfills or  other
facilities  or  other Company-owned  or operated  facilities caused  to adjacent
landowners or others  or environmental  damage at another  site associated  with
waste  transported by  the Company; the  imposition of liability  on the Company
under CERCLA or  under comparable  state laws;  and criminal  liability for  the
Company  or its officers. Any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect
the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
    As described  under  "Business  -- Environmental  Regulations,"  CERCLA  and
analogous  state laws impose  retroactive strict joint  and several liability on
various parties that are, or have been, associated with a site from which  there
has  been, or is threatened, a release of any hazardous substance (as defined by
CERCLA) into the environment. Liability  under RCRA, CERCLA and analogous  state
laws  may include responsibility for costs of site investigations, site cleanup,
natural resources damages and property  damages. Liabilities under RCRA,  CERCLA
and  analogous  state laws  can be  very  substantial and,  if imposed  upon the
Company, could  materially adversely  affect the  Company's business,  financial
condition and results of operations.
 
    In  the ordinary course of its  landfill and waste management operations and
in connection with its review of  landfill and other operations to be  acquired,
the  Company  has discovered,  and may  in the  future discover,  indications of
groundwater contamination  at certain  landfills. In  such events,  the  Company
would  seek or be required to determine  the magnitude and source of the problem
and, if  appropriate  or  required  by applicable  regulations,  to  design  and
implement  measures to remedy,  or halt the spread  of, the contamination. There
can be no assurance, however, that contamination discovered at a landfill or  at
other  Company sites will not result in  one or more of the adverse consequences
to the Company described above.
 
    TYPE, QUANTITY AND SOURCE  LIMITATIONS.  Certain  permits and approvals  may
limit  the types of waste that may be  accepted at a landfill or the quantity of
waste that  may  be accepted  at  a landfill  during  a given  time  period.  In
addition,  certain permits  and approvals,  as well  as certain  state and local
regulations, may  limit  a landfill  to  accepting waste  that  originates  from
specified  geographic areas or seek to  restrict the importation of out-of-state
waste  or  otherwise   discriminate  against   out-of-state  waste.   Generally,
restrictions  on  the  importation  of  out-of-state  waste  have  not withstood
judicial challenge. However, from time  to time federal legislation is  proposed
which  would allow  individual states to  prohibit the  disposal of out-of-state
waste or to limit the  amount of out-of-state waste  that could be imported  for
disposal  and would require  states, under certain  circumstances, to reduce the
amounts of waste exported to other states. Although such legislation has not yet
been adopted by Congress, if this  or similar legislation is enacted, states  in
which  the  Company  operates  landfills  could act  to  limit  or  prohibit the
importation of out-of-state waste. Such state actions could materially adversely
affect landfills within those states that receive a significant portion of waste
originating from out-of-state.
 
    In addition, certain states and localities may for economic or other reasons
restrict the exportation  of waste  from their  jurisdiction or  require that  a
specified   amount  of  waste   be  disposed  of   at  facilities  within  their
jurisdiction. In 1994,  the United States  Supreme Court held  unconstitutional,
and  therefore invalid, a local ordinance that sought to impose flow controls on
taking waste out of the locality. However, certain state and local jurisdictions
continue to seek to enforce such restrictions and, in certain cases, the Company
may elect not to challenge such restrictions based upon various  considerations.
In  addition, the aforementioned proposed federal legislation would allow states
and localities to impose certain  flow control restrictions. These  restrictions
could  result in the volume of waste going to landfills being reduced in certain
areas, which may materially  adversely affect the  Company's ability to  operate
its  landfills  at their  full capacity  and/or  affect the  prices that  can be
charged for landfill disposal  services. These restrictions  may also result  in
higher  disposal costs for  the Company's collection  operations. If the Company
were unable to pass  such higher costs through  to its customers, the  Company's
business,  financial  condition and  results of  operations could  be materially
adversely affected.
 
POTENTIAL LIABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH ACQUISITIONS
 
    The businesses acquired by the Company may have liabilities that the Company
did not discover or may have been unable to discover during its  pre-acquisition
investigations, including liabilities arising from
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
environmental contamination or non-compliance by prior owners with environmental
laws  or  regulatory requirements,  and for  which the  Company, as  a successor
owner, may be responsible. Any indemnities  or warranties, due to their  limited
scope,  amount,  or duration,  the financial  limitations  of the  indemnitor or
warrantor or other reasons, may not fully cover such liabilities.
 
DEPENDENCE ON SENIOR MANAGEMENT
 
    The Company is highly dependent on  its senior management team. The loss  of
the  services of  any member  of senior management  may have  a material adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
In an effort  to minimize  this risk, the  Company has  entered into  employment
contracts  with  certain  members of  senior  management. The  Company  does not
maintain "key man" life insurance with  respect to members of senior  management
except for a $2.0 million policy maintained on the Company's President.
 
DISCRETION OF MANAGEMENT TO ALLOCATE OFFERING PROCEEDS
 
   
    The  Company  intends to  use 50%,  or approximately  $11.0 million,  of the
estimated net  proceeds from  the Offering  to repay  certain indebtedness.  The
Company  anticipates that  the remaining net  proceeds of this  Offering will be
used for  acquisitions,  working capital  and  general corporate  purposes.  The
Company's  management will have  complete discretion to  allocate the balance of
the net  proceeds from  the  Offering among  acquisitions, working  capital  and
general corporate purposes. See "Use of Proceeds."
    
 
LIMITS ON INSURANCE COVERAGE
 
    There  can be no assurance that  the Company's pollution liability insurance
will provide sufficient coverage in the  event an environmental claim were  made
against  the Company or that the Company will  be able to maintain in place such
insurance at reasonable costs. An uninsured or underinsured claim of  sufficient
magnitude  could  have  a material  adverse  effect on  the  Company's business,
financial condition  and  results  of operations.  See  "Business  --  Liability
Insurance and Bonding."
 
INCURRENCE OF CHARGES RELATED TO CAPITALIZED EXPENDITURES
 
    In  accordance with  generally accepted  accounting principles,  the Company
capitalizes certain expenditures and advances relating to acquisitions,  pending
acquisitions   and  landfill   development  and   expansion  projects.  Indirect
acquisition costs,  such  as  executive salaries,  general  corporate  overhead,
public  affairs  and other  corporate services,  are  expensed as  incurred. The
Company's policy  is  to charge  against  earnings any  unamortized  capitalized
expenditures and advances (net of any portion thereof that the Company estimates
will  be recoverable, through sale or  otherwise) relating to any operation that
is permanently shut down, any pending  acquisition that is not consummated,  and
any  landfill development or expansion project that is not or not expected to be
successfully completed. Therefore, the Company may be required to incur a charge
against earnings in future periods,  which charge, depending upon the  magnitude
thereof,  could materially  adversely affect  the Company's  business, financial
condition and results of operations.  See "Management's Discussion and  Analysis
of  Financial  Condition  and Results  of  Operations --  Liquidity  and Capital
Resources" for  a  discussion of  capitalized  expenditures in  connection  with
certain operations and projects.
 
USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO LANDFILL DISPOSAL
 
    Alternatives  to landfill  disposal, such  as recycling  and composting, are
increasingly being used. In addition, incineration is an alternative to landfill
disposal in certain of the Company's markets. There also has been an  increasing
trend  at the state and local levels to mandate recycling and waste reduction at
the source and to prohibit the disposal of certain type of wastes, such as  yard
wastes, at landfills. These developments may result in the volume of waste going
to  landfills being  reduced in  certain areas,  which may  affect the Company's
ability to operate  its landfills at  their full capacity  or affect the  prices
that  can be charged for landfill disposal services. For example, Illinois, Ohio
and Pennsylvania, states in which  the Company operates landfills, have  adopted
bans  on the  disposal of  yard waste  or leaves  in landfills  located in those
states, and  all of  the states  in which  the Company  operates landfills  have
adopted  rules  restricting  or  limiting disposal  of  tires  at  landfills. In
addition, each of the states in which the Company operates landfills has adopted
plans or requirements which set goals for specified percentages of certain solid
waste items to be recycled. These recycling  goals are being phased in over  the
next few years. These alternatives, if and when
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
adopted  and implemented,  may have a  material adverse effect  on the business,
financial condition and results of operations  of the Company. See "Business  --
Environmental Regulations -- State and Local Regulations."
 
ABILITY TO MEET FINANCIAL ASSURANCE OBLIGATIONS
 
    The  Company is  required to  post a  performance bond  or a  bank letter of
credit or  to provide  other forms  of financial  assurance in  connection  with
closure  and post-closure  obligations with  respect to  landfills or  its other
solid waste management operations and may be required to provide such  financial
assurance  in connection with municipal  residential collection contracts. As of
July 11,  1996,  the  Company  had  outstanding  approximately  $15  million  of
performance  bonds and $90,000 in letters of  credit. If the Company were unable
to obtain surety bonds or letters of credit in sufficient amounts, or to provide
other required forms  of financial assurance,  it would be  unable to remain  in
compliance with the Subtitle D Regulations or comparable state requirements and,
among  other things,  might be  precluded from  entering into  certain municipal
collection contracts and  obtaining or holding  landfill operating permits.  See
"Management's  Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results of
Operations --  Liquidity  and  Capital Resources"  and  "Business  --  Liability
Insurance and Bonding."
 
SEASONALITY
 
    The  Company's revenues tend to be somewhat lower in the winter months. This
is primarily attributable to the fact that: (i) the volume of waste relating  to
construction  and  demolition activities  tends to  increase  in the  spring and
summer months; and (ii)  the volume of industrial  and residential waste in  the
regions  where the Company operates tends  to decrease during the winter months.
In addition, particularly harsh weather conditions may delay the development  of
landfill capacity and otherwise result in the temporary suspension of certain of
the  Company's operations  and could  materially adversely  affect the Company's
overall business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
HOLDING COMPANY STRUCTURE
 
    The Company was formed in connection with the Exchange pursuant to which all
of the outstanding common stock of ADS  and CDI was exchanged for Common  Stock.
As  a result of the Exchange, the Company is a holding company that conducts all
of its operations through its  subsidiaries. Accordingly, the Company will  rely
on  distributions from ADS  and CDI to  provide the funds  necessary to meet its
obligations under  the Credit  Facility  and otherwise.  The ability  of  either
subsidiary  to make such payments  to the Company is  subject to applicable laws
and contractual restrictions that  may restrict or prohibit  the making of  such
payments.
 
CONTROL BY EXISTING STOCKHOLDERS
 
    Immediately  following  the Offering,  the Company's  principal stockholders
will beneficially  own  approximately  60%  of the  outstanding  shares  of  the
Company's  Common Stock. See "Principal Stockholders." As a result, such persons
will have  the  ability  to  exercise significant  influence  over  all  matters
requiring  stockholder approval, such as the  election of directors, mergers and
acquisitions. Such a high  level of ownership by  such persons and entities  may
have  a  significant effect  in delaying,  deferring or  preventing a  change in
control of the Company.
 
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS
 
    The Board of Directors may issue  up to 5,000,000 shares of Preferred  Stock
in  the future  without stockholder  approval upon  such terms  as the  Board of
Directors may  determine. The  rights of  the holders  of Common  Stock will  be
subject  to, and may be adversely affected by,  the rights of the holders of any
Preferred Stock that  may be  issued in the  future. The  issuance of  Preferred
Stock,  while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and
other corporate purposes,  could have  the effect  of delaying  or preventing  a
change in control of the Company without further action by the stockholders. The
Company  has  no present  plans  to issue  any  shares of  Preferred  Stock. See
"Description of Capital  Stock --  Undesignated Preferred  Stock." In  addition,
following  the Offering  the Company  will become  subject to  the anti-takeover
provisions of Section 203  of the Delaware General  Corporation Law, which  will
prohibit  the  Company  from  engaging  in  a  "business  combination"  with  an
"interested   stockholder"   for   a   period   of   three   years   after   the
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
date  of the transaction  in which the person  became an interested stockholder,
unless the  business  combination  is  approved  in  a  prescribed  manner.  The
application  of Section 203 also could have the effect of delaying or preventing
a change  of  control of  the  Company. See  "Description  of Capital  Stock  --
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law and Certain Charter Provisions."
 
NO PRIOR TRADING MARKET FOR COMMON STOCK; POTENTIAL VOLATILITY OF STOCK PRICE
 
   
    Prior to the Offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock,
and  there can be no assurance that an  active trading market will develop or be
sustained after  the  Offering.  The  initial public  offering  price  has  been
determined  through negotiations between the Company, and the representatives of
the Underwriters  based on  several factors  and may  not be  indicative of  the
market  price of  the Common Stock  after the Offering.  See "Underwriting." The
market price of the shares of Common Stock may be highly volatile and is  likely
to  be affected  by factors  such as actual  or anticipated  fluctuations in the
Company's operating results, announcements of new contracts by the Company,  its
competitors  or their  customers, government  regulatory action,  general market
conditions  and  other  factors.  In   addition,  the  stock  market  has   from
time-to-time  experienced significant  price and  volume fluctuations  that have
particularly affected the  market prices  for the  common stock  of solid  waste
disposal  companies  and  that  have  often  been  unrelated  to  the  operating
performance of particular  companies. These broad  market fluctuations may  also
adversely  affect the market price  of the Company's Common  Stock. In the past,
following periods of volatility in the  market price of a company's  securities,
securities  class action  litigation has  occurred against  the issuing company.
There can be no assurance that such litigation will not occur in the future with
respect to the Company. Such litigation could result in substantial costs and  a
diversion  of management's attention and resources,  which could have a material
adverse effect on  the Company's  business, financial condition  and results  of
operations.  Any adverse determination in such litigation could also subject the
Company to significant liabilities.
    
 
IMMEDIATE AND SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION
 
   
    The initial  public offering  price  is substantially  higher than  the  net
tangible  book value per  share of Common Stock.  Investors purchasing shares of
Common Stock in the Offering will therefore incur immediate and substantial  net
tangible  book value  dilution. To  the extent  that stock  options and warrants
(currently outstanding or subsequently granted) to purchase the Company's Common
Stock are exercised, there may be further dilution. See "Dilution."
    
 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE; POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECT ON FUTURE MARKET PRICE
 
    Sale of substantial amounts of shares  in the public market or the  prospect
of  such sales could adversely  affect the market price  of the Company's Common
Stock. Upon  completion  of the  Offering,  the Company  will  have  outstanding
8,426,901  shares of Common Stock, of  which the 2,750,000 shares offered hereby
will be freely tradeable. The Company's officers and directors and holders of 5%
or more of the  outstanding shares of  Common Stock prior  to the Offering,  who
beneficially  own an aggregate of 5,888,279 shares of Common Stock or options or
warrants to purchase  shares of Common  Stock, have agreed  not to offer,  sell,
contract  to sell or grant  any option to purchase  or otherwise dispose of such
securities for 180  days after  the date of  this Prospectus  without the  prior
written  consent of Oppenheimer  & Co., Inc.  In its sole  discretion and at any
time without notice, Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.  may release all or any portion  of
the  shares subject to lock-up agreements. In addition, following 180 days after
the Offering, the holders  of 5,032,861 shares of  Common Stock and warrants  to
purchase 215,455 shares of Common Stock have demand and "piggy-back" rights with
respect  to the  registration of  such shares  of Common  Stock for  sale to the
public. If such holders, by exercising their registration rights, cause a  large
number  of shares  to be  sold in the  public market,  such sales  could have an
adverse effect on the market price for the Company's Common Stock. In  addition,
if  the  Company  is  required  to  include  such  shares  in  Company-initiated
registration statements,  this could  have an  adverse effect  on the  Company's
ability  to  raise needed  capital. See  "Shares Eligible  for Future  Sale" and
"Underwriting." The Company intends to  file a registration statement under  the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended (the "Securities  Act"), upon completion of
the Offering or  shortly thereafter, covering  the sale of  1,100,000 shares  of
Common  Stock reserved for issuance under  the Company's 1996 Stock Option Plan.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
Upon completion of the Offering, there will be outstanding options to purchase a
total of 869,615  shares of Common  Stock and  warrants to purchase  a total  of
215,455 shares of Common Stock. See "Management -- 1996 Stock Option Plan."
 
ABSENCE OF DIVIDENDS
 
    The  Company has never  declared or paid  dividends on its  Common Stock and
does not anticipate paying  dividends in the  foreseeable future. See  "Dividend
Policy."
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    American  Disposal Services, Inc. was incorporated  in the State of Delaware
in November  1995. The  Company is  the  sole stockholder  of ADS,  an  Oklahoma
corporation  that was  formed in January  1991, and CDI,  a Delaware corporation
that was formed in April 1995. The Company acquired all the shares of the common
stock of ADS and CDI, effective as of January 1, 1996, in exchange for which the
previous stockholders of  ADS and CDI  received shares of  the Company's  Common
Stock  (the "Exchange"). As part of the  Exchange, all options and warrants that
had previously  been granted  by ADS  and  CDI were  cancelled in  exchange  for
options  and warrants granted by  the Company. In addition,  effective as of May
31, 1996, the Company completed a 13.5-for-1 stock split of the Company's Common
Stock (the "Stock Split"; together with the Exchange, the "Restructuring").
 
   
    In January  1993,  affiliates  of  Charterhouse  Group  International,  Inc.
("Charterhouse") acquired a majority interest in ADS, the primary asset of which
was  the Pittsburg County landfill near  McAlester, Oklahoma. In connection with
the Charterhouse investment,  ADS recruited the  Company's President in  January
1993,  and assembled the balance of the Company's senior management team between
1993 and 1995. As  a result of the  management team's substantial experience  in
the  solid waste  industry and the  financial expertise and  capital provided by
Charterhouse, the  Company  was able  to  finance its  acquisition-based  growth
strategy, which from the outset focused on the identification and acquisition of
solid  waste landfills  located in secondary  markets. Using  this strategy, CDI
acquired three landfills in  Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania  in 1995 (the  "CDI
Acquisition").  Since  January 1993,  the Company  has  acquired 23  solid waste
businesses, including  four solid  waste landfills,  18 solid  waste  collection
companies and one transfer station.
    
 
    The  Company's  principal executive  offices are  located at  745 McClintock
Drive, Suite 305, Burr Ridge, Illinois 60521, and its telephone number is  (708)
655-1105.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
   
    The  net proceeds to the  Company from the sale  of the Common Stock offered
hereby, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses payable  by
the Company, are approximately $22.0 million (approximately $25.5 million if the
Underwriters'  over-allotment option is exercised  in full). The Company intends
to use such proceeds:  (i) to repay  approximately $11.0 million  of one of  the
term loans outstanding under the Credit Facility which bears an interest rate of
8.38%  and has a maturity date of June 30, 2001; and (ii) to apply the remaining
approximately $11.0  million  for  acquisitions,  working  capital  and  general
corporate  purposes. See "Risk  Factors -- Discretion  of Management to Allocate
Offering Proceeds." The  proceeds from  the Credit  Facility repaid  all of  the
Company's  existing bank debt and a portion  of a note payable to a stockholder,
and redeemed the preferred stock  of a subsidiary. See "Management's  Discussion
and  Analysis of Financial Condition and  Results of Operations -- Liquidity and
Capital Resources." While  the Company has  entered into letters  of intent  for
certain  proposed acquisitions, these proposed  transactions are not material to
the Company's business.
    
 
    Pending use of the net proceeds for the above purposes, the Company  intends
to  invest  such  funds in  short-term,  investment-grade  securities, including
government obligations and money market instruments.
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
    The Company has never  declared or paid any  dividends on its Common  Stock,
and  neither ADS nor CDI has declared or paid any dividends on its common stock.
The Company and its Board of  Directors currently intend to retain any  earnings
for  use in  the operation and  expansion of  the Company's business  and do not
anticipate paying any dividends on the Common Stock for the foreseeable  future.
The  Credit Facility prohibits the payment  of cash dividends without prior bank
approval. See "Management's Discussion and  Analysis of Financial Condition  and
Results of Operations -- Liquidity and Capital Resources."
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                    DILUTION
 
   
    The  net tangible book value  of the Company's Common  Stock as of March 31,
1996 was  $15,761,000, or  $2.78 per  share.  The "net  tangible book  value  as
adjusted"  per  share represents  the  amount of  total  tangible assets  of the
Company less total liabilities,  divided by 8,426,901, the  number of shares  of
Common  Stock outstanding after the Offering, after giving effect to the sale of
2,750,000 shares of Common  Stock offered hereby at  a public offering price  of
$9.00 per share and application of the estimated net proceeds therefrom. The net
tangible  book value as adjusted of the Company  as of March 31, 1996 would have
been $37,779,000 or $4.48  per share. This represents  an immediate increase  in
net  tangible book value as adjusted of $1.70 per share to existing stockholders
and an immediate dilution of $4.52 per share to new investors purchasing  shares
in the Offering.
    
 
    The following table illustrates the dilution per share as described above:
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                   <C>        <C>
Initial public offering price.......................................             $    9.00
  Net tangible book value before the Offering.......................  $    2.78
  Increase attributable to new investors............................       1.70
                                                                      ---------
Net tangible book value as adjusted after the Offering..............                  4.48
                                                                                 ---------
Dilution to new investors...........................................             $    4.52
                                                                                 ---------
                                                                                 ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
   
    If  the Underwriters'  over-allotment option is  exercised in  full, the net
tangible book value as adjusted will  be $4.66 per share, resulting in  dilution
to new investors purchasing shares in the Offering of $4.34 per share.
    
 
   
    The  following table  sets forth, on  an as  adjusted basis as  of March 31,
1996, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased from the Company, the total
cash consideration paid to the Company and  the average price per share paid  by
the existing stockholders and by new investors purchasing shares of Common Stock
in the Offering, at an initial public offering price of $9.00 per share.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     SHARES                   TOTAL CASH
                                                  PURCHASED (1)             CONSIDERATION           AVERAGE
                                             -----------------------  --------------------------     PRICE
                                               NUMBER      PERCENT       AMOUNT        PERCENT     PER SHARE
                                             ----------  -----------  -------------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                          <C>         <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>
Existing stockholders......................   5,676,901       67.4%   $  41,589,000       62.7%    $    7.33
New investors..............................   2,750,000       32.6%   $  24,750,000       37.3%    $    9.00
                                             ----------        ---    -------------        ---
    Total..................................   8,426,901        100%   $  66,339,000        100%
                                             ----------        ---    -------------        ---
                                             ----------        ---    -------------        ---
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
(1) The  foregoing table assumes no exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment
    option or of warrants and stock options outstanding as of March 31, 1996. As
    of March 31, 1996, there were  outstanding warrants and options to  purchase
    an  aggregate  of  1,085,070 shares  of  Common  Stock. To  the  extent that
    additional options are granted under  the Company's 1996 Stock Option  Plan,
    there  could be further dilution  to new investors if  the exercise price of
    such options is less than the  initial public offering price per share.  See
    "Management -- 1996 Stock Option Plan."
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
   
    The following table sets forth: (i) the actual capitalization of the Company
at  March 31, 1996; and (ii) the capitalization of the Company at March 31, 1996
as adjusted to reflect borrowings under the Credit Facility (and the recognition
of related unamortized deferred debt issuance  cost) and the application of  the
net proceeds therefrom to repay all of the Company's then existing bank debt and
a  portion of a note payable to a stockholder, and redeem the preferred stock of
a subsidiary, and the  sale of 2,750,000 shares  of Common Stock offered  hereby
and  the  application of  the estimated  net proceeds  therefrom to  repay $11.0
million of  borrowings  outstanding  under  the Credit  Facility.  See  "Use  of
Proceeds."
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      MARCH 31, 1996
                                                                                   ---------------------
                                                                                                  AS
                                                                                    ACTUAL     ADJUSTED
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
                                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                                <C>        <C>
Current portion of long-term obligations.........................................  $   4,167  $    1,793
Note payable to stockholder (1)..................................................     12,500          --
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
  Short term debt and current portion of long-term obligations...................  $  16,667  $    1,793
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
Long-term obligations............................................................  $  49,006  $   51,779
Redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary.........................................      1,908          --
Stockholders' equity (2):
  Preferred stock: 5,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or
   outstanding...................................................................         --          --
  Common stock: 20,000,000 shares authorized; 5,676,901 shares issued and
   outstanding; 8,426,901 shares issued and outstanding as adjusted..............         57          84
  Warrants outstanding...........................................................        107         107
  Additional paid-in capital.....................................................     41,532      63,523
  Accumulated deficit............................................................     (8,378)     (8,854)
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
    Total stockholders' equity...................................................     33,318      54,860
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
      Total capitalization.......................................................  $  84,232  $  106,639
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
                                                                                   ---------  ----------
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
(1) Subsequent  to March 31, 1996,  $7.5 million of the  note payable was repaid
    with borrowings under the  Credit Facility, and  the remaining $5.0  million
    was repaid with existing cash.
 
(2) Excludes 412,500 additional shares of Common Stock that may be sold pursuant
    to  the Underwriters' over-allotment  option and 1,085,070  shares of Common
    Stock reserved for issuance pursuant to the exercise of outstanding warrants
    and stock options under the Company's 1996 Stock Option Plan.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The following table presents selected consolidated statement of  operations,
balance  sheet and other data of the Company for the periods presented. See "The
Company" and  the  Notes  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements  included
elsewhere  herein  for information  concerning  the basis  of  presentation. The
following selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 1994 and  1995
and  for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1995 have been
derived from  the  audited  consolidated financial  statements  of  the  Company
included  elsewhere in  this Prospectus and  should be read  in conjunction with
"Management's Discussion  and Analysis  of Financial  Condition and  Results  of
Operations."  The selected consolidated financial data  as of December 31, 1991,
1992 and 1993 and for  the years ended December 31,  1991 and 1992, are  derived
from audited consolidated financial statements that are not included herein. The
selected  consolidated financial  data as  of March 31,  1996 and  for the three
months ended March 31, 1995 and 1996 are unaudited but have been prepared on the
same basis as  the audited  financial data and,  in the  opinion of  management,
contain  all  adjustments,  consisting  only  of  normal  recurring adjustments,
necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for such periods.
The results of  operations for the  three months  ended March 31,  1996 are  not
necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full fiscal year.
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                THREE
                                                                                                               MONTHS
                                                                                                             ENDED MARCH
                                                               YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                          31,
                                            ---------------------------------------------------------------  -----------
                                               1991         1992         1993         1994         1995         1995
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                          (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                         <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenues..................................  $      33    $     146     $   7,730    $  18,517    $  30,004    $   5,034
Cost of operations........................         22          249         5,750       12,647       17,286        3,047
Selling, general and administrative
 expenses.................................        167          625         1,646        4,910        5,882        1,080
Depreciation and amortization expense.....          9          100         1,166        3,226        6,308          984
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Operating income (loss)...................       (165)        (828)         (832)      (2,266)         528          (77)
Interest expense..........................         --          (26)         (417)      (1,497)      (3,030)        (511)
Interest income...........................         --           --            35            2          189            4
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Loss before income taxes and extraordinary
 item.....................................       (165)        (854)       (1,214)      (3,761)      (2,313)        (584)
Income tax benefit (expense)..............         --           --           391        1,372         (332)         156
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Loss before extraordinary item............       (165)        (854)         (823)      (2,389)      (2,645)        (428)
Extraordinary item -- gain (loss) on early
 retirement of debt.......................         --           --            74           --         (908)          --
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net loss..................................       (165)        (854)         (749)      (2,389)      (3,553)        (428)
Preferred stock dividend requirement......         --           --            --           --         (190)          --
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net loss applicable to common
 stockholders.............................  $    (165)   $    (854)    $    (749)   $  (2,389)   $  (3,743)   $    (428)
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Loss per share of common stock:
  Loss before extraordinary item..........  $    (.49)   $   (2.14)    $    (.58)   $    (.99)   $    (.80)   $    (.17)
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
  Extraordinary item......................         --           --           .05           --         (.26)          --
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
  Net loss................................  $    (.49)   $   (2.14)    $    (.53)   $    (.99)   $   (1.06)   $    (.17)
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                            -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Weighted average common stock and common
 stock equivalent shares used to calculate
 per share amounts........................    338,141        399,465    1,406,219    2,411,381    3,527,688    2,569,522
 
OTHER DATA:
EBITDA (1)................................  $    (156  ) $    (728  ) $      334   $      960   $    6,836   $      907
EBITDA margin (2).........................     (472.7  )%    (498.6  )%        4.3 %        5.2 %       22.8 %       18.0%
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                               1996
                                            -----------
 
<S>                                         <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenues..................................   $  11,724
Cost of operations........................       6,108
Selling, general and administrative
 expenses.................................       1,935
Depreciation and amortization expense.....       2,718
                                            -----------
Operating income (loss)...................         963
Interest expense..........................      (1,617)
Interest income...........................          78
                                            -----------
Loss before income taxes and extraordinary
 item.....................................        (576)
Income tax benefit (expense)..............         160
                                            -----------
Loss before extraordinary item............        (416)
Extraordinary item -- gain (loss) on early
 retirement of debt.......................          --
                                            -----------
Net loss..................................        (416)
Preferred stock dividend requirement......         (63)
                                            -----------
Net loss applicable to common
 stockholders.............................   $    (479)
                                            -----------
                                            -----------
Loss per share of common stock:
  Loss before extraordinary item..........   $    (.08)
                                            -----------
  Extraordinary item......................          --
                                            -----------
  Net loss................................   $    (.08)
                                            -----------
                                            -----------
Weighted average common stock and common
 stock equivalent shares used to calculate
 per share amounts........................    5,864,078
OTHER DATA:
EBITDA (1)................................  $    3,681
EBITDA margin (2).........................        31.4 %
</TABLE>
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     DECEMBER 31,
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------------   MARCH 31,
                                                                   1991       1992       1993       1994       1995        1996
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------
                                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                              <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash and cash equivalents......................................  $     109  $      12  $   2,134  $     548  $   6,383   $   6,706
Working capital (deficit)......................................        118       (332)       788     (2,237)    (8,819)     (9,558)
Property and equipment, net....................................        393        467     15,156     17,062     81,250      81,696
Total assets...................................................        629        705     35,651     37,557    114,693     115,432
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current
 portion.......................................................         --         --     16,073     18,487     48,789      49,006
Redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary.......................         --         --         --         --      1,908       1,908
Stockholders' equity...........................................        585         89     12,531     12,132     33,855      33,318
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------------
(1)  EBITDA  represents  operating  income plus  depreciation  and amortization.
     While EBITDA data  should not be  construed as a  substitute for  operating
     income,  net income (loss)  or cash flows from  operations in analyzing the
     Company's operating  performance, financial  position and  cash flows,  the
     Company  has included  EBITDA data  (which are  not a  measure of financial
     performance under  generally  accepted accounting  principles)  because  it
     understands  that  such  data are  commonly  used by  certain  investors to
     evaluate a company's performance in the solid waste industry.
 
(2)  EBITDA margin represents EBITDA expressed as a percentage of revenues.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
                OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following discussion should  be read in  conjunction with the "Selected
Consolidated Financial Data",  the Company's  Consolidated Financial  Statements
and  the notes thereto and the Company's  Pro Forma Financial Statements and the
notes thereto, included elsewhere herein.
 
INTRODUCTION
 
   
    The Company has  adopted an acquisition-based  growth strategy that  focuses
on:  (i) the identification and acquisition  of solid waste landfills located in
secondary markets  that  are  within  approximately  125  miles  of  significant
metropolitan  centers;  and  (ii)  securing  dedicated  waste  streams  for such
landfills by  the  acquisition  or  development of  transfer  stations  and  the
acquisition  of collection companies. The  Company has completed 23 acquisitions
since January  1993. All  of these  acquisitions were  accounted for  under  the
purchase  method  of  accounting  for  business  combinations.  Accordingly, the
amortization of goodwill and landfill airspace reflects the fair market value of
the Company's  assets  at  the  time of  their  acquisition  rather  than  their
historical  cost  basis,  and  the  results  of  operations  for  such  acquired
businesses are  included in  the Company's  financial statements  only from  the
applicable date of acquisition. As a result, the Company believes its historical
results of operations for the periods presented are not directly comparable.
    
 
    There  are several other aspects of the Company's growth strategy that cause
management to believe that  the Company's historical  results of operations  may
not be consistent with future performance, including the following:
 
    - CONCENTRATION  OF LANDFILL ASSETS.  Since  the CDI Acquisition, the mix of
      the Company's assets  has been  concentrated in landfills,  as opposed  to
      collection  and  transfer  station  operations. As  a  result  of goodwill
      associated with the  Company's acquisitions and  the amortization  expense
      associated with its landfill assets and closure obligations, the amount of
      depreciation  and amortization as  a percentage of  the Company's revenues
      for the year ended December 31, 1995 and for the three months ended  March
      31,  1996 was relatively  high as compared to  other solid waste companies
      (21.0% and 23.2%, respectively). Management believes that this  percentage
      is likely to decline as the Company penetrates the market in its Illinois,
      Ohio   and  Pennsylvania  regions  by  acquiring  or  developing  transfer
      stations,   acquiring   collection   operations   and   making   "tuck-in"
      acquisitions of collection companies.
 
    - MANAGEMENT  CAPABILITIES.    Since  1993,  the  Company  has  assembled  a
      management team with substantial experience  in the solid waste  industry.
      The  Company believes that  its senior management team  has the ability to
      manage the Company's  operations as  they expand.  Therefore, the  Company
      believes  that the amount of  selling, general and administrative expenses
      is likely to decline as a percentage of revenues as the Company grows.
 
    - CELL DEVELOPMENT COSTS.  Cells developed to date at the landfills acquired
      in the CDI Acquisition have  been constructed with double liner  composite
      systems.  The Company  is exploring  the possibility  of using alternative
      design systems at its Ohio and Illinois landfills, which should result  in
      lower cell development costs.
 
    Consistent  with its operating program, the Company believes acquisitions of
solid waste  companies will  have a  positive impact  on its  future results  of
operations  and,  accordingly, believes  that  the Company's  historical results
should be considered in  conjunction with the  Unaudited Pro Forma  Consolidated
Financial   Statements  and   the  notes  thereto   included  elsewhere  herein.
Additionally, neither the  historical nor  the pro forma  results of  operations
fully  reflect the operating efficiencies and  improvements that are expected to
be achieved by integrating acquired businesses, internalizing waste flows to the
Company's landfills and realizing other synergies. See "Business -- Strategy."
 
GENERAL
 
    REVENUES.  The Company's revenues are attributable primarily to fees charged
to customers for waste collection, transfer and disposal services. The Company's
collection services are generally provided under
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
direct  agreements   with  its   customers  or   pursuant  to   contracts   with
municipalities.  Commercial and municipal contract  terms, where used, generally
range from one  to five  years and commonly  have automatic  renewal options.  A
relatively  small portion of such agreements  also provide for the prepayment of
certain fees, which  fees are reflected  as deferred revenues.  The table  below
shows  for the periods indicated, the percentage of the Company's total revenues
attributable to services provided:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH
                                                          YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,                   31,
                                                    -------------------------------------  ------------------------
                                                       1993         1994         1995         1995         1996
                                                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                 <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
Collection (1)....................................       57.8%        68.0%        55.3%        63.5%        39.4%
Transfer..........................................         --(2)       9.1          5.0          8.9          1.9
Landfill (1)......................................       42.2         22.8         39.0         27.0         58.5
Other.............................................         --          0.1          0.7          0.6          0.2
                                                        -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
    Total Revenues................................      100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%       100.0%
                                                        -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
                                                        -----        -----        -----        -----        -----
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
(1) The portion  of collection  revenues attributable  to disposal  charges  for
    waste  collected by the  Company and disposed of  at the Company's landfills
    has  been  excluded  from  collection  revenues  and  included  in  landfill
    revenues.
 
(2) In  1993,  the Company  did  not separately  account  for its  revenues from
    collection and transfer operations and, accordingly, revenues from  transfer
    operations are reflected as collection revenues.
 
    A   component   of  the   Company's   business  strategy   is   to  maximize
internalization of waste it collects and thereby realize higher margins from its
operations. By  disposing  of  waste at  Company-owned  landfills,  the  Company
retains the margin generated through disposal operations that would otherwise be
earned  by third-party landfills. During the  three months ended March 31, 1996,
98%  of  the  total  tonnage  collected  by  the  Company  was  disposed  of  at
Company-owned  landfills. This represents approximately 29% of the total tonnage
disposed of at Company-owned landfills in the three months ended March 31, 1996.
During such  period, 34%  of  the total  tonnage  disposed of  at  Company-owned
landfills was delivered pursuant to long-term contracts.
 
    EXPENSES.    Cost  of  operations include  labor,  maintenance  and repairs,
equipment  and  facility  rent,  utilities  and  taxes,  the  costs  of  ongoing
environmental  compliance,  safety and  insurance, disposal  costs and  costs of
independent haulers transporting Company waste to disposal sites. Disposal costs
include certain landfill taxes, host community fees, landfill site  maintenance,
fuel  and  other equipment  operating  expenses and  provision  for post-closure
expenses, consisting  of cap  maintenance, groundwater  monitoring, methane  gas
control and recovery and leachate treatment/disposal, anticipated to be incurred
in the future.
 
    Selling,  general and  administrative ("SG&A")  expenses include management,
clerical and  administrative  compensation,  overhead,  sales  costs,  community
relations  expenses, provisions for  estimated uncollectible accounts receivable
and unrealizable acquisition costs and management  fees paid to an affiliate  of
Charterhouse.  Upon closing of  the Offering, in lieu  of paying such management
fees, the Company will begin  to pay a salary  to the Company's Chairman  (which
should  result in savings  to the Company of  approximately $300,000 per annum).
See "Certain Transactions."
 
    Depreciation and amortization expense includes depreciation of fixed assets,
closure costs and amortization of landfill airspace, goodwill, other intangibles
and loan origination fees. The  amount of landfill amortization expense  related
to  airspace consumption can vary materially from landfill to landfill depending
upon the purchase price, landfill configuration and cell development costs.
 
    Certain direct landfill development  costs, such as engineering,  upgrading,
construction  and  permitting  costs,  are capitalized  and  amortized  based on
airspace consumed. All  of the  Company's capitalized  expenditures relating  to
cell  development and landfill  expansion work are in  connection with cells for
which the Company holds a permit for development. The Company believes that  the
costs  associated with engineering, owning and operating landfills will increase
in the future as a result of  federal, state and local regulation and a  growing
community awareness of the landfill permitting process. Although there can be no
assurance, the
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
Company believes that it will be able to implement price increases sufficient to
offset  these increased expenses. All  indirect landfill development costs, such
as executive  salaries, general  corporate overhead,  public affairs  and  other
corporate services, are expensed as incurred.
 
    The  Company  capitalizes engineering,  legal,  accounting and  other direct
costs incurred in  connection with potential  acquisitions, accounted for  using
the  purchase method for business  combinations. The Company, however, routinely
evaluates  such  capitalized   costs  and  expenses   those  costs  related   to
acquisitions  not likely to occur. Indirect acquisition costs, such as executive
salaries, general corporate overhead and other corporate services, are  expensed
as incurred.
 
    Accrued  closure and post-closure costs represent an estimate of the current
value of  the  future  obligations  associated  with  closure  and  post-closure
monitoring  of  non-hazardous  solid  waste  landfills  currently  owned  by the
Company. Site specific closure and  post-closure engineering cost estimates  are
prepared  annually  for  landfills owned  by  the Company.  Estimated  costs are
accrued based on accepted tonnage as landfill airspace is consumed. The  Company
periodically  updates its  estimates of  future closure  and post-closure costs.
These changes are accounted for on a prospective basis. The Company expects  its
closure  and  post-closure costs  per  ton to  decrease  as it  expands landfill
capacity and as such costs are amortized over greater airspace.
 
    The Company has  estimated that, as  of December 31,  1995, total costs  for
post-closure  activities,  including  cap  maintenance,  groundwater monitoring,
methane gas control and  recovery and leachate treatment/disposal  for up to  30
years  after  closure  in  certain cases,  will  approximate  $11.3  million. In
addition, the Company has estimated that, as of December 31, 1995, closure costs
expected to occur during  the operating lives of  these facilities and  expensed
over  these facilities' useful lives will approximate $28.4 million. At December
31, 1994  and  1995  and March  31,  1996,  accruals for  landfill  closure  and
post-closure   costs  (including   costs  assumed   through  acquisitions)  were
approximately $1.1 million,  $6.2 million  and $6.6  million, respectively.  The
accruals  reflect  relatively young  landfills  with estimated  remaining lives,
based on current waste flows,  that range from 4 to  46 years, and an  estimated
average remaining life of greater than 20 years.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The following table sets forth items in the Company's consolidated statement
of operations as a percentage of revenues for the periods indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                              YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,             MARCH 31,
                                                         ----------------------------------  ----------------------
                                                            1993        1994        1995        1995        1996
                                                         ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
<S>                                                      <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Revenues...............................................      100.0%      100.0%      100.0%      100.0%      100.0%
Cost of operations.....................................       74.4        68.3        57.6        60.5        52.1
Selling, general and administrative expenses...........       21.3        26.5        19.6        21.5        16.5
Depreciation and amortization expenses.................       15.1        17.4        21.0        19.6        23.2
                                                             -----       -----       -----       -----       -----
Operating income (loss)................................      (10.8)      (12.2)        1.8        (1.6)        8.2
Interest expense, net..................................       (4.9)       (8.1)       (9.5)      (10.0)      (13.1)
Income tax (expense) benefit...........................        5.0         7.4       (1.1)         3.1         1.4
Extraordinary gain (loss), net of income tax...........        1.0          --        (3.0)         --          --
                                                             -----       -----       -----       -----       -----
    Net loss...........................................       (9.7)%     (12.9)%     (11.8)%      (8.5)%      (3.5)%
                                                             -----       -----       -----       -----       -----
                                                             -----       -----       -----       -----       -----
EBITDA margin..........................................        4.3%        5.2%       22.8%       18.0%       31.4%
</TABLE>
 
THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1996 AND 1995
 
    REVENUES.   Revenues for  the three months  ended March 31,  1996 were $11.7
million compared to $5.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 1995.  The
increase  in revenues  is due  primarily to the  effects of  the CDI Acquisition
(which occurred after  March 31, 1995).  Revenues of $7.2  million for the  1996
period
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
were  generated from  companies acquired  since March  31, 1995,  while revenues
attributable to  existing operations  amounted to  $4.5 million,  a decrease  of
$552,000.  This decrease was due primarily to the lapse of an exclusive contract
with a transfer station in Oklahoma.
 
    COST OF OPERATIONS.  Cost of operations for the three months ended March 31,
1996 was $6.1 million compared to $3.0 million for the three months ended  March
31, 1995. This increase was attributable primarily to the associated increase in
revenues  described  above.  As a  percentage  of revenues,  cost  of operations
decreased to  52.1% in  the  1996 period  from 60.5%  in  the 1995  period.  The
resulting  increase  in  margins  was  due  primarily  to  the  Company's higher
proportion of  landfill operations  (which generally  have higher  margins  than
disposal  operations), with  landfill revenues  increasing from  $1.4 million to
$6.9 million and from 27.0% to 58.5%  as a percentage of revenues. Margins  also
increased  because  of  increased  operating  efficiencies  resulting  from  the
consolidation of hauling operations and the opening of new transfer stations  in
the Company's Missouri region.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE  EXPENSES.  SG&A  expenses increased to
$1.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 1996 compared to $1.1  million
for  the  three months  ended March  31,  1995. The  aggregate increase  in SG&A
expenses resulted  from expenses  associated with  the CDI  Acquisition, and  an
increase  in personnel and  other expenses related to  the anticipated growth of
the Company. As a  percentage of revenues, SG&A  expenses decreased to 16.5%  in
the  1996 period from 21.5% in the 1995 period. The decrease in SG&A expenses as
a percentage of revenues is due  partially to a significant increase in  revenue
producing  assets  while corporate  level personnel  and other  related expenses
increased moderately.  SG&A  expenses in  future  periods should  be  positively
affected  by savings of approximately $300,000 per annum due to the termination,
effective at the closing of the Offering, of the Company's management  agreement
with an affiliate of its principal stockholder. See "Certain Transactions."
 
    DEPRECIATION  AND  AMORTIZATION  EXPENSE.    Depreciation  and  amortization
expense for the three months ended March  31, 1996 was $2.7 million compared  to
$1.0  million  for  the three  months  ended  March 31,  1995.  The  increase in
depreciation and amortization expense  is due primarily  to the CDI  Acquisition
which  significantly increased landfill airspace  amortization and provision for
closure costs, and, to a lesser extent, the capital expenditures associated with
such  acquisition.  See  "--  Introduction."   As  a  percentage  of   revenues,
depreciation  and amortization expense was 23.2%  and 19.6% for the three months
ended March  31, 1996  and March  31, 1995,  respectively. The  relatively  high
percentages  are primarily  due to the  configuration of  the Wheatland landfill
during the three months ended March 31,  1995 and the high concentration of  the
Company's  assets in  landfills following the  CDI Acquisition  during the three
months ended March  31, 1996.  Net fixed assets  increased to  $81.7 million  at
March  31,  1996 from  $17.3  million at  March 31,  1995  and goodwill,  net of
accumulated amortization expense, increased to  $15.6 million at March 31,  1996
from $13.6 million at March 31, 1995.
 
    NET  INTEREST EXPENSE.  Net interest expense  was $1.5 million for the three
months ended March  31, 1996  compared to $507,000  for the  three months  ended
March  31, 1995.  This increase is  attributable to additional  debt incurred to
complete the CDI Acquisition.
 
    INCOME TAXES.  The  Company recorded an income  tax benefit of $160,000  for
the  three months ended March  31, 1996 and $156,000  for the three months ended
March 31, 1995 primarily due to the  effects of differences in the treatment  of
goodwill for book and tax purposes.
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND 1994
 
    REVENUES.   Revenues in 1995 were $30.0 million compared to $18.5 million in
1994. The increase  in revenues  was due  primarily to  the effects  of the  CDI
Acquisition  and, to a lesser extent, price and volume increases attributable to
existing operations.  Revenues of  $10.1  million in  1995 were  generated  from
companies  acquired  during 1995,  while  increases in  revenue  attributable to
operations acquired prior to 1996 amounted to $1.3 million.
 
    COST OF OPERATIONS.  Cost of  operations in 1995 was $17.3 million  compared
to  $12.6 million in 1994. This increase  in costs was attributable primarily to
increases in  the  Company's  revenues  described  above.  As  a  percentage  of
revenues,  cost of operations was 57.6% in  1995 compared to 68.3% in 1994. This
decrease
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
was due primarily to operating efficiencies and improvements from the  Company's
development  of its Missouri region and the impact of the CDI Acquisition, which
shifted the relative proportion  of the Company's  assets toward landfills  that
typically operate at higher margins than collection operations.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL  AND ADMINISTRATIVE  EXPENSES.   SG&A  expenses  were $5.8
million in 1995 compared to $4.9 million  in 1994. The increase was a result  of
expenses  associated with the  CDI Acquisition, expenses  incurred in connection
with the  Company's increase  in personnel  and other  expenses related  to  the
anticipated expansion of the Company's operations. SG&A expenses as a percentage
of revenues were 19.6% in 1995 compared to 26.5% in 1994.
 
    DEPRECIATION  AND  AMORTIZATION  EXPENSE.    Depreciation  and  amortization
expense in 1995 was $6.3 million compared to $3.2 million in 1994. The  increase
in  depreciation and amortization expense  is due to the  acquisition of the CDI
landfills, with their  relatively higher depreciation  and amortization  expense
compared  to  depreciation and  amortization  expense of  collection operations,
depreciation of  increased capital  expenditures  and a  one time  write-off  of
$505,000  following the Company's election in 1995 not to pursue the enforcement
of several covenants not to compete. Net fixed assets increased to $81.3 million
in 1995 from $17.1 million in 1994 and goodwill, net of accumulated amortization
expense, increased to $15.7 million in 1995 from $13.6 million in 1994.
 
    NET INTEREST EXPENSE.   Net interest  expense increased to  $2.8 million  in
1995  from  $1.5 million  in 1994.  This  increase primarily  reflects increased
indebtedness incurred in connection with acquisitions and capital expenditures.
 
    INCOME TAXES.  Although the Company recorded a net loss in 1995, the Company
recorded an  income  tax expense  of  $300,000  in 1995  because  the  Company's
subsidiaries  were not then consolidated and CDI  reported a profit in 1995. The
Company recorded an income tax  benefit of $1.4 million in  1994. See Note 6  of
the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere herein.
 
    EXTRAORDINARY  EXPENSE.   In 1995,  the Company  recognized an extraordinary
loss of  $908,000,  representing  unamortized deferred  debt  issuance  cost  in
connection  with the  extinguishment of  debt outstanding  under a  prior credit
facility.
 
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND 1993
 
    REVENUES.  Revenues in 1994 were  $18.5 million compared to $7.7 million  in
1993.  The  increase  in revenues  was  due  primarily to  the  effects  of 1993
acquisitions, the operations of which  were included in the Company's  financial
results  for  a  full year  beginning  in  1994, and  the  additional  impact of
acquisitions completed during 1994.
 
    COST OF OPERATIONS.  Cost of operations in 1994 were $12.6 million  compared
to  $5.8 million  in 1993.  The increase in  the cost  of operations principally
reflects costs  associated with  acquired operations.  Cost of  operations as  a
percentage  of revenues, however, decreased from 74.4% in 1993 to 68.3% in 1994.
The improvement in  margins in  1994 resulted primarily  from lower  third-party
disposal  costs  as a  result  of diverting  waste  at acquired  businesses from
third-party landfills to Company-owned  landfills. Margins also benefitted  from
the integration of acquired companies.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL  AND ADMINISTRATIVE  EXPENSES.   SG&A  expenses  were $4.9
million in 1994 compared to $1.6 million in 1993. SG&A expenses as a  percentage
of revenues were 26.5% in 1994 compared to 21.3% in 1993. This increase reflects
expenses  incurred in  connection with the  Company's increase  in personnel and
other expenses related to the anticipated growth of the Company.
 
    DEPRECIATION  AND  AMORTIZATION  EXPENSE.    Depreciation  and  amortization
expense  in 1994 was $3.2 million compared to $1.2 million in 1993. The increase
in depreciation  and amortization  expense is  due to  the full  year impact  of
acquisitions completed during 1993.
 
    NET  INTEREST EXPENSE.   Net interest  expense increased to  $1.5 million in
1994 from  $382,000  in  1993,  primarily  because  the  Company's  indebtedness
increased  subsequent to 1993 as a  result of acquisitions, landfill development
and other capital expenditures.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
    Due to the capital intensive nature of the solid waste industry, the Company
has used, and expects to continue  using, substantially all cash generated  from
operations  to fund acquisitions, capital expenditures and landfill development.
Certain operating equipment has also been acquired using leases which have short
and medium-term  maturities.  As a  result,  the Company  has  incurred  working
capital  deficits in the past, and there  can be no assurance that its available
working  capital  will  be   sufficient  in  the  future   as  it  pursues   its
acquisition-based  growth strategy. Historically, the  Company has satisfied its
acquisition, capital  expenditure and  working capital  needs primarily  through
equity infusions from its principal stockholders and bank financing.
 
    The  Company's  capital expenditure  and  working capital  requirements have
increased significantly, reflecting  the Company's rapid  growth by  acquisition
and  development of revenue  producing assets, and will  increase further as the
Company continues to pursue its acquisition-based growth strategy. During  1994,
the  Company spent $5.6  million in capital expenditures,  of which $1.7 million
was for cell development  at the Company's initial  two landfills. During  1995,
when  the Company acquired three more  landfills, the Company spent $6.2 million
in capital expenditures,  of which  $4.9 million  was for  cell development.  In
connection  with such acquisitions, the Company required $25.5 million in equity
infusions from its  principal stockholders and  $36.7 million in  bank debt.  In
1996,  the  Company  expects  to spend  approximately  $13  million  for capital
expenditures  of  which  $8.1  million  is  anticipated  to  be  used  for  cell
development.  The increase in cell  development costs in 1996  over 1995 will be
due to the Company's ownership of the Clarion, Livingston and Wyandot  landfills
for  the entire year and  the fact that increased  volumes at the landfills will
cause cell development  to occur prior  to the winter  season when  construction
activities cease.
 
    Operating  activities provided net cash of $5.6 million in 1995 and used net
cash of $1.1 million in 1994.  From 1994 to 1995, depreciation and  amortization
expense  increased by $3.1 million and  accounts payable and accrued liabilities
increased by $1.8 million. The increase in each of these items was primarily due
to the Company's purchase  of three landfills in  1995. See " --  Introduction."
Investing activities used net cash of $68.4 million and $6.2 million in 1995 and
1994,  respectively. The increase  in the amount  of net cash  used in investing
activities between  1994 and  1995  is primarily  due  to the  CDI  Acquisition.
Financing activities provided net cash of $68.6 million and $5.7 million in 1995
and  1994,  respectively.  The  increase  in  net  cash  provided  by  financing
activities reflects proceeds from  a 1995 credit facility,  a note payable to  a
stockholder and net proceeds from issuances of common stock.
 
   
    In  May 1996, the Company entered into  the $87 million Credit Facility with
Internationale Nederlanden (U.S.) Capital Corporation, as administrative  agent,
and  Morgan Guaranty  Trust Company of  New York, as  documentation agent, which
repaid all of  the Company's then  existing bank debt  and a portion  of a  note
payable  to a stockholder, and redeemed the  preferred stock of a subsidiary. In
connection with such refinancing, the Company recognized an extraordinary  loss,
net  of federal tax benefit, of $476,000, representing unamortized deferred debt
issuance cost. The Credit Facility provides  the Company with two term loans  of
$38  million and  $25 million which  were used  to repay then  existing debt and
financing fees,  a $7  million  revolving credit  facility for  working  capital
purposes,  and  a $17  million expansion  facility  which may  only be  used for
acquisitions. The various loans  and lines of credit  under the Credit  Facility
bear  interest at rates per annum equal to, at the Company's discretion, either:
(i) the higher of (a) the  federal funds rate plus 1/2  of 1% and (b) the  prime
rate,  plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75%; or (ii) the London
Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), plus  an applicable margin ranging from  2.50%
to  3.25%, and have maturities  ranging from 2001 to 2003.  As of July 11, 1996,
the Company had  borrowed $73.4 million  under the Credit  Facility. As of  such
date,  the interest  rates on the  various loans  and lines of  credit under the
Credit Facility ranged  from 8.00% to  8.75% and the  total unused  availability
under  the Credit Facility was $13.6 million,  of which $6.0 million may be used
for working capital purposes and $7.6 million may be used for acquisitions.  The
Company's  ability  to use  the expansion  facility  is based  upon a  number of
covenants, including  the maintenance  of  specified debt  to equity  and  fixed
charge  coverage ratios. The  Company is in  compliance with the  terms of these
covenants. Other covenants contain limitations on the payments of dividends, the
incurrence of  additional debt  and the  use  of proceeds  from debt  or  equity
issuances.  The Credit Facility requires the Company  to use 50% of the proceeds
of any equity offering (including the
    
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
Offering)  to  repay  a  portion  of  the  term  loans  then  outstanding.  Upon
consummation of this Offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom,
the  Company  expects to  have $13.6  million of  availability under  the Credit
Facility, of which  $6.0 million may  be used for  working capital purposes  and
$7.6 million may be used for acquisitions.
 
    The  Company expects that Subtitle D and other regulations that apply to the
non-hazardous waste  disposal industry  will  require the  Company, as  well  as
others  in the industry, to  alter operations and to  modify or replace existing
facilities. Such expenditures  have been  and will continue  to be  substantial.
Regulatory  changes could  accelerate expenditures for  closure and post-closure
monitoring and obligate the Company to spend sums in addition to those presently
reserved for  such purposes.  These  factors, together  with the  other  factors
discussed above, could substantially increase the Company's operating costs. See
"Risk Factors -- Extensive Environmental and Land Use Laws and Regulations."
 
    The  Company intends to  satisfy its interest obligations  as well as future
capital expenditures  and working  capital requirements,  with cash  flows  from
operations  and borrowings  under the Credit  Facility. After  completion of the
Offering, the  Company  may  need  to  raise  additional  capital  to  fund  the
acquisition  and integration of  additional solid waste  businesses. The Company
may raise such funds through bank  financings or public or private offerings  of
its  securities. There  can be  no assurance  that the  Company will  be able to
secure such funding, if necessary, on favorable terms, if at all. If the Company
is not successful in securing such funding, the Company's ability to pursue  its
business  strategy may be impaired and  results of operations for future periods
may be adversely affected. See "Risk Factors -- Capital Requirements and Limited
Working Capital."
 
CDI ACQUISITION
 
    Through the  CDI  Acquisition,  the Company  acquired  three  landfills  and
certain other assets (the "MSG Facilities") from the Municipal Services Group of
Envirite  Corporation.  See  "The Company."  For  the periods  presented  in the
historical financial statements of the MSG Facilities included elsewhere herein,
the MSG  Facilities' funds  were generated  from operating  activities and  from
financing  through Envirite  Corporation's credit  facility. Separate historical
financial statements  for  the MSG  Facilities  could not  be  prepared  because
Envirite  Corporation did  not maintain  intercompany accounts  that would allow
calculation of corporate overhead allocations  and certain balance sheet  items.
Operating  cash flows from the MSG Facilities for the fiscal years ended January
1, 1994 and December 31, 1994 and the  period from January 1, 1995 to the  dates
of  acquisition  of such  properties were  $3.1 million,  $3.0 million  and $3.8
million, respectively.  Capital  expenditures for  the  MSG Facilities  for  the
fiscal  years ended January  1, 1994 and  December 31, 1994  and the period from
January 1,  1995  to the  dates  of acquisition  of  such properties  were  $4.7
million,  $2.1 million and $2.2 million, respectively. These cash flows may have
been different  if the  MSG Facilities  had operated  independently of  Envirite
Corporation for the periods presented.
 
INFLATION AND PREVAILING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
 
    To  date,  inflation  has not  had  a  significant impact  on  the Company's
operations. Consistent with industry practice,  most of the Company's  contracts
provide  for a  pass through of  certain costs, including  increases in landfill
tipping fees and, in some cases,  fuel costs. The Company therefore believes  it
should  be  able to  implement price  increases sufficient  to offset  most cost
increases resulting from inflation. However, competitive factors may require the
Company to  absorb at  least a  portion of  these cost  increases,  particularly
during  periods of high inflation. The Company is unable to determine the future
impact of a sustained economic slowdown.
 
SEASONALITY
 
    The Company's revenues tend to be somewhat lower in the winter months.  This
is  primarily attributable to the fact that: (i) the volume of waste relating to
construction and  demolition activities  tends  to increase  in the  spring  and
summer  months; and (ii) the  volume of industrial and  residential waste in the
regions where the Company operates tends  to decrease during the winter  months.
In  addition, particularly harsh weather conditions may delay the development of
landfill capacity and otherwise result in the temporary suspension of certain of
the Company's operations  and could  materially adversely  affect the  Company's
overall business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
INTRODUCTION
 
    American  Disposal Services  is a regional,  integrated, non-hazardous solid
waste services  company  that  provides solid  waste  collection,  transfer  and
disposal  services primarily in  the Midwest. The Company  owns five solid waste
landfills and owns, operates  or has exclusive contracts  to receive waste  from
seven  transfer  stations. The  Company's  landfills and  transfer  stations are
supported by its  collection operations,  which serve  over 85,000  residential,
commercial and industrial customers.
 
   
    The Company began its operations in the Midwest and currently has operations
in  Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas,  Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma  and Pennsylvania. The
Company has  adopted  an  acquisition-based  growth  strategy,  and  intends  to
continue  its  expansion, generally  in its  existing  and proximate  markets. A
cornerstone of the Company's  growth strategy is to  identify and acquire  solid
waste  landfills located in secondary markets  that are within approximately 125
miles of significant metropolitan centers and to secure dedicated waste  streams
for  such  landfills  by acquisition  or  development of  transfer  stations and
acquisition  of   collection  companies.   The  Company   expects  the   current
consolidation trends in the solid waste industry to continue as many independent
landfill  and collection operators lack the capital resources, management skills
and technical expertise  necessary to  operate in  compliance with  increasingly
stringent  environmental and other governmental regulations. Due in part to this
consolidation, the  Company believes  that  significant opportunities  exist  to
expand  and further  integrate its operations  in each of  its existing markets.
Since January  1993,  the  Company  has  acquired  23  solid  waste  businesses,
including  four solid waste  landfills, 18 solid  waste collection companies and
one transfer station.
    
 
    The Company's operating program generally involves a four-step process:  (i)
acquiring  solid waste  landfills in its  target markets;  (ii) securing captive
waste streams  for  its landfills  through  the acquisition  or  development  of
transfer  stations  serving those  markets,  through acquisitions  of collection
companies and by entering  into long-term contracts  directly with customers  or
collection   companies;  (iii)  making   "tuck-in"  acquisitions  of  collection
companies to further penetrate  its target markets;  and (iv) integrating  these
businesses  into the Company's operations  to achieve operating efficiencies and
economies of scale.  The implementation  of the Company's  operating program  is
substantially  complete in  its Missouri  region (which  also includes Arkansas,
Kansas and Oklahoma),  where the  Company has  completed the  acquisition of  12
collection  companies  and  the  acquisition or  development  of  three transfer
stations. The Company is in the initial  phases of its operating program in  the
Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania regions in which the Company began operations in
1995.  In addition, the  Company may, as  specific opportunities arise, evaluate
and pursue acquisitions in the solid waste collection and disposal industry that
do not strictly conform to the Company's four-step operating program.
 
    The Company's operating  strategy emphasizes  the integration  of its  solid
waste  collection  and  disposal  operations and  the  internalization  of waste
collected. One  of  the  Company's  goals  is  for  its  captive  waste  streams
(including the Company's collection operations and third party haulers operating
under  long-term contracts) to provide  in excess of 50%  of the volume of solid
waste disposed of at each of its landfills. During the three months ended  March
31,  1996, the Company's  captive waste constituted  an average of approximately
63% of the solid waste disposed of at its landfills.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
    In the United  States, landfilling is  at present the  most common means  of
disposing  of  non-hazardous  municipal  solid  waste  ("MSW"),  which  consists
primarily of refuse and garbage  from households and commercial  establishments.
In  addition, landfilling is  one of the  means of disposing  of certain special
waste. Special waste, some types of which may require special handling, consists
of all waste not regulated as hazardous waste under federal or state laws  other
than MSW and may include asbestos, petroleum contaminated soil, incinerator ash,
foundry sands and sewage and industrial sludges.
 
    In October 1991, the EPA adopted the Subtitle D Regulations, which generally
became  effective on October 9, 1993 (except for certain MSW landfills accepting
less than 100 tons per  day, as to which the  effective date was April 9,  1994,
and  new  financial  assurance  requirements,  which  are  scheduled  to  become
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
effective April 9,  1997). The  Subtitle D Regulations  specify design,  siting,
operating,   monitoring,  closure   and  financial   requirements  for  landfill
operations and, among other things,  require upgraded or new composite  landfill
liners,   leachate  collection  and  treatment,   groundwater  and  methane  gas
monitoring, stricter  siting  and  locational  criteria,  closure  and  extended
post-closure  requirements and financial assurances (such as a surety bond) that
the owner  or operator  can meet  certain of  these obligations.  Each state  is
required  to revise its  applicable solid waste regulations  or programs to meet
the  requirements  of   the  Subtitle   D  Regulations   or  such   requirements
automatically  will  be imposed  by the  EPA. Many  states have  already adopted
regulations or programs as stringent as, or more stringent than, the Subtitle  D
Regulations,  including  all  of  those in  which  the  Company's  landfills are
located.
 
    The Company believes  that in recent  years there has  been a trend  towards
consolidation  of landfill ownership and that a similar trend is emerging in the
solid waste collection  industry, which historically  has been characterized  by
numerous  small companies. The Company believes  that these trends will continue
and are the result of several factors:
 
    - The Subtitle D Regulations and related state regulations and programs have
      significantly increased the amount of capital and the technical  expertise
      required  in  order to  own  and operate  a  landfill. As  a  result, many
      landfill operators  that  lack  the  required  capital  or  expertise  are
      electing to sell their landfills, as an alternative to closing them.
 
    - A  number of  municipalities are electing  to privatize  the operations of
      their municipal  landfills as  an alternative  to funding  the changes  to
      these  landfills that are required in order  to comply with the Subtitle D
      Regulations and related state regulations and programs.
 
    - As a result of  heightened sensitivity to  environmental concerns by  many
      communities,  it is  becoming increasingly  desirable in  many markets for
      collection companies to provide waste  reuse and reduction programs,  such
      as  recycling and composting, in addition to conventional waste collection
      services. This development, as well as more stringent bonding requirements
      being imposed  on waste  collection companies  by various  municipalities,
      have  increased  the  amount  of  capital  generally  required  for  waste
      collection operations, causing private collection companies that lack  the
      requisite   capital  to  sell  their   operations  to  better  capitalized
      companies.
 
STRATEGY
 
    The Company's objective is to build a large regional fully-integrated  solid
waste services company with an established market presence in secondary markets.
The  Company's strategy  for achieving this  objective is to  establish a market
presence generally anchored by its landfills; to increase volume in its  markets
through  "tuck-in"  acquisitions of  collection companies  and marketing  to new
customers; to provide a high level  of customer service; to implement  selective
price  increases; and to  continue to implement strict  cost controls and reduce
corporate overhead as a percentage of  revenues. The Company believes that  this
strategy  of building  an integrated entity  should provide  it with competitive
cost advantages  in its  targeted  regional markets.  The Company's  ability  to
implement  its strategy is enhanced by the experience of its senior managers and
their knowledge of the solid waste industry. There can be no assurance, however,
that the Company will be successful in the execution of its strategy. See  "Risk
Factors."
 
    The Company targets acquisitions in geographic areas characterized by one or
more   of  the  following  criteria:  (i)  the  availability  of  permitted  and
underutilized landfill capacity located outside of,  but within 125 miles of,  a
significant  metropolitan center; (ii)  the absence of  a dominant competitor in
the area  which  would  preclude  the Company  from  implementing  its  business
strategy;  (iii) anticipated  economic and population  growth; and  (iv) near or
medium-term scheduled closures of competing landfills.
 
    The Company  has  adopted  the  following  four-step  operating  program  in
executing its business strategy:
 
        1.   LANDFILL  ACQUISITIONS.  Once  the Company identifies  an area that
    qualifies under its target market criteria, the Company seeks to establish a
    market presence, generally by acquiring one  or more landfills in that  area
    that  can be accessed economically from  the metropolitan center or from the
    regional market area, either through direct hauling or through strategically
    located transfer stations. In evaluating a landfill acquisition, the Company
    considers,   among   others,    the   following    factors:   (i)    current
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
    disposal  costs together with transportation  costs to the targeted landfill
    relative to transportation and disposal costs of potential competitors; (ii)
    expected landfill life; (iii) opportunities for landfill expansion; and (iv)
    projected short-term ability  to secure  a minimum of  500 tons  per day  of
    disposal volume.
 
        2.   SECURE  CAPTIVE WASTE  VOLUMES.  After  the Company  has acquired a
    landfill, it seeks to build a  market presence and increase the  utilization
    of the landfill by securing captive waste streams, which includes developing
    and  acquiring transfer  stations, entering into  waste collection contracts
    and acquiring waste collection companies. Generally, the Company pursues the
    acquisition  of  collection  companies   that:  (i)  have   well-established
    residential  or  commercial collection  routes  and accounts;  (ii)  own and
    operate transfer stations; or (iii) do not own landfills and are  vulnerable
    to  volatile disposal  pricing, which the  Company believes  it can minimize
    through landfill ownership.
 
        3.   "TUCK-IN"  ACQUISITIONS.   The  Company  acquires  service  rights,
    obligations, machinery and equipment in "tuck-in" acquisitions of collection
    companies  to: (i) increase the waste stream directed to its landfills; (ii)
    maximize its market presence; and (iii) take advantage of economies of scale
    which should increase earnings and return on capital.
 
        4.  INTEGRATION AND EXPANSION  OF OPERATIONS.  Immediately upon  closing
    any  acquisition,  the  Company  integrates the  acquired  company  into its
    operations  by:  (i)  instituting  strict  cost  control  procedures;   (ii)
    consolidating   and  rationalizing  collection  routes  and  pricing;  (iii)
    implementing Company operating policies  and procedures (including  programs
    designed  to improve employee productivity  and equipment utilization); (iv)
    establishing a sales and  marketing force; and  (v) converting the  acquired
    company   to  the  Company's  accounting,  data  processing  and  management
    reporting systems. During the transition period following acquisitions,  the
    Company  retains the management of certain companies it acquires in order to
    benefit from management's local operating knowledge and the goodwill it  has
    developed.  Additionally, on a selective basis,  the Company seeks to expand
    the capacity of its  landfills to accommodate  increasing waste volumes  and
    improve profitability.
 
ACQUISITION PROGRAM
 
   
    In   January  1993,  representatives  of   Charterhouse  and  the  Company's
management formulated an acquisition-based growth strategy to establish a  large
regional  fully-integrated solid  waste management services  company. To execute
its strategy, affiliates of  Charterhouse acquired a  majority interest in  ADS,
which  owned one landfill in Oklahoma,  and began assembling a senior management
team. See "The Company." Using ADS as a platform for this strategy, the  Company
has increased the number of landfills it owns from one to five and has completed
23 acquisitions of solid waste companies since January 1993.
    
 
    The  Company  has assembled  an  experienced acquisition  team  comprised of
operations,  environmental,   engineering,  legal,   financial  and   accounting
personnel,  each engaged in identifying and evaluating acquisition opportunities
in  order  to  execute  its  operating  program.  The  Company  has  established
pre-acquisition  review procedures for  acquisition candidates, including legal,
financial, engineering, operational and environmental reviews. The environmental
review includes, where appropriate, investigation of geologic, hydrogeologic and
other site conditions,  past and  current operations (including  types of  waste
deposited),  design  and  construction records,  permits,  regulatory compliance
history, regulatory agency records and available soil sampling, groundwater  and
air  monitoring results.  The Company  uses regional  managers to  assist in the
acquisition  process   by  identifying   suitable  candidates   and   performing
pre-acquisition review and evaluation tasks.
 
    In  considering  whether  to proceed  with  an acquisition,  in  addition to
determining whether the candidate meets the Company's criteria described  above,
the  Company  evaluates  a number  of  factors, including:  (i)  the acquisition
candidate's historical  and  projected  financial  results;  (ii)  any  expected
synergies  with  one or  more of  the Company's  existing operations;  (iii) the
proposed purchase price and  the Company's expected  resultant internal rate  of
return  on  investment and  the expected  impact on  the Company's  earnings per
share; (iv) whether the candidate will  enhance the Company's ability to  effect
other  acquisitions  in  the  vicinity;  (v)  the  candidate's  customer service
reputation and relationships  with the local  communities; (vi) the  composition
and  size of the candidate's customer base; (vii) the types of services provided
by the
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
candidate; and  (viii)  whether the  candidate  has definable  and  controllable
liabilities, including potential environmental liabilities. The Company believes
that significant opportunities exist to acquire new landfills and to develop its
existing markets, and reviews acquisition opportunities on an on-going basis.
 
   
    The  Company has  completed 23 acquisitions  of solid  waste companies since
January 1993, which are summarized in the table below.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              COMPANY                         BUSINESS              PRINCIPAL LOCATION          DATE ACQUIRED
- - -----------------------------------  --------------------------  -------------------------  ---------------------
<S>                                  <C>                         <C>                        <C>
MISSOURI REGION:
  Wheatland                          Landfill                    Scammon, KS                January 1993
  Pittsburg Sanitation               Collection                  Pittsburg, KS              January 1993
  Ozark Sanitation                   Collection                  Carthage, MO               January 1993
  Trashmaster                        Collection                  Joplin, MO                 January 1993
  A-1 Trash Service                  Collection                  Verona/Aurora, MO          April 1993
  Tate's Transfer                    Transfer Station            Verona/Aurora, MO          April 1993
  Renfro Sanitation                  Collection                  Branson, MO                June 1993
  B&B Trash                          Collection                  Pittsburg, KS              July 1993
  B&B Refuse                         Collection                  Neosho, MO                 December 1993
  Apex Sanitation                    Collection                  Grove, OK and Green        December 1993
                                                                 Forest, AR
  Epps Sanitation                    Collection                  Branson, MO                December 1993
  Cummings Sanitation                Collection                  Nixa, MO                   May 1994
  Light Hauling                      Collection                  Branson, MO                August 1994
  Poole's Sanitation                 Collection                  Bentonville, AR            August 1994
  Southwest Waste                    Collection                  Springfield, MO            July 1996
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGION:
  Clarion                            Landfill and Collection     Leeper, PA                 June 1995
  Mauthe Sanitation                  Collection                  Strattanville, PA          March 1996
OHIO REGION:
  Wyandot                            Landfill                    Upper Sandusky, OH         August 1995
  Environmental Transportation and   Collection                  Findlay, OH                May 1996
   Management
  R&R Waste Disposal                 Collection                  Findlay, OH                May 1996
  Jerry's Rubbish                    Collection                  Findlay, OH                June 1996
  Seneca Disposal                    Collection                  Tiffin, OH                 June 1996
ILLINOIS REGION:
  Livingston                         Landfill                    Pontiac, IL                November 1995
</TABLE>
    
 
    MISSOURI REGION.  The Company established a market presence in the southwest
Missouri region in January 1993 with the acquisition of its Wheatland  landfill.
The  implementation of the Company's operating program is substantially complete
in its Missouri region. Since purchasing the Wheatland landfill, the Company has
acquired one transfer station and independently developed two transfer stations.
The Company also has exclusive contracts to accept waste from two other transfer
stations. Additionally, the Company acquired 13 collection companies,  including
the  three operations purchased simultaneously  with the Wheatland landfill. The
collection operations and  transfer stations have  been consolidated into  three
divisions.  The Company has  integrated acquired companies  by consolidating and
rationalizing routes  and pricing,  reducing overhead  through consolidating  an
acquired  company's  operations, implementing  the  Company's cost  controls and
operating procedures, converting acquired companies to the Company's  management
reporting  systems  and implementing  a sales  and  marketing team.  The Company
continues to pursue "tuck-in" acquisitions  of collection companies to  increase
its  per ton margins through internalizing waste streams. The Company also seeks
to expand  its  operations by  taking  advantage of  the  economic  efficiencies
provided  by  its integrated  operations  and is  in  the process  of developing
another transfer station. Since the  acquisition of its Wheatland landfill,  the
Company has increased the waste volume at its landfill by approximately 800 tons
per day.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
    WESTERN  PENNSYLVANIA REGION.  The  Company entered the western Pennsylvania
region in  June  1995  with the  acquisition  of  its Clarion  landfill  and  an
affiliated  collection company. The Clarion landfill is located within 110 miles
of Pittsburgh and Erie, Pennsylvania. The Company is in the early stages of  its
operating  program in the western Pennsylvania  region. Since the acquisition of
the Clarion landfill, the Company has reached the maximum allowable waste volume
by increasing deliveries  to this landfill  by approximately 300  tons per  day,
primarily  through the expansion of its market presence and the geographic scope
of its operations. As part of  its ongoing strategy in the western  Pennsylvania
market,  the Company seeks to increase  its volume of internalized waste through
additional "tuck-in" acquisitions in order to increase per ton margins. In March
1996, the  Company completed  its first  "tuck-in" acquisition  of a  collection
company in this region.
 
   
    OHIO  REGION.   The Company established  a market  presence in north-central
Ohio in  August 1995  with the  acquisition of  its Wyandot  landfill, which  is
located   within  approximately  125   miles  of  Cleveland,   Ohio  and  within
approximately 75 miles of Toledo and Columbus, Ohio. The Company is in the early
stages of its  operating program  in the  north-central Ohio  region. Since  the
acquisition  of the Wyandot landfill, the Company has increased the waste volume
at this landfill by approximately 300 tons per day, primarily through  operating
under  contract with two  transfer stations and implementing  a new sales focus.
The Company recently completed the  acquisition of four collection companies  in
the  Ohio  region  and  is pursuing  the  acquisition  of  additional collection
companies to increase its  volume of internalized waste.  To further expand  its
operations, the Company is seeking to increase capacity at the Wyandot landfill.
See  "-- Operations -- Landfills." Prior to  the acquisition by the Company, the
Wyandot landfill's waste  volume was  composed primarily of  special waste.  The
Company  is seeking  to increase  the volume  of MSW  relative to  special waste
deposited at the Wyandot  landfill through shifting the  focus of its sales  and
marketing efforts towards MSW collections.
    
 
    ILLINOIS REGION.  The Company established a market presence in north-central
Illinois in November 1995 with the acquisition of its Livingston landfill, which
is  located approximately 90 miles from downtown Chicago. The acquisition of the
Livingston landfill was attractive  to the Company's  management because of  the
expected  closing of two competing landfills  that currently accept an aggregate
of approximately 15,000 tons per day  and the management team's experience  with
the  Chicago market. The Company is in the early stages of its operating program
in the north-central Illinois  region. Since the  acquisition of the  Livingston
landfill,  the  Company  has increased  the  waste  volume at  this  landfill by
approximately 1,000  tons  per  day  through  intensified  sales  and  marketing
efforts. Presently, the Company is independently developing one transfer station
and  is  pursuing  the  acquisition of  another.  Additionally,  the  Company is
pursuing the acquisition of collection companies of varying size to increase its
volume of internalized waste which is currently delivered pursuant to  brokerage
contracts.  The Company  is also  seeking to  expand capacity  at the Livingston
landfill. See "-- Operations -- Landfills."
 
    There  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  Company  will  be  successful   in
implementing  its operating program in  any of these existing  markets or in any
future  markets.  See  "Risk  Factors  --  Ability  to  Manage  Growth,"  "   --
Availability  of Acquisition Targets; Integration  of Future Acquisitions," " --
History of  Losses  and  Working  Capital  Deficits;  Integration  of  Completed
Acquisitions,"  "-- Limited  Operating History,"  "-- Funding  of Future Capital
Requirements and Working Capital Deficits" and "-- Limitations on Expansion."
 
OPERATIONS
 
    The  Company's  waste  management  operations  include  the  ownership   and
operation  of  solid waste  landfills,  transfer stations  and  waste collection
services. The  Company's  landfills  are relatively  underutilized  given  their
potential  size and the fact that the  Company's operating program in a majority
of its markets has not yet been  completed. There can be no assurance,  however,
that  the Company  will be  successful in  executing its  operating program. See
"Risk Factors." The  Company believes  that all  of its  landfills and  transfer
stations  comply  with or  exceed the  requirements mandated  by the  Subtitle D
Regulations and the applicable state regulations. The Company regularly monitors
incoming waste at its  landfills to determine if  such wastes are in  compliance
with its permits.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
LANDFILLS
 
    The  Company currently  owns five  landfill operations  permitted to receive
solid  waste.  These  landfill  operations   are  located  in  Illinois,   Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Kansas and Oklahoma.
 
    Each  of the Company's landfill  operations is located on  land owned by the
Company. The permitted waste streams at each of these landfills include both MSW
and certain special waste  (the type of special  waste varying from landfill  to
landfill).  During the three months ended  March 31, 1996, the Company's captive
waste (including the  Company's collection  operations and  third party  haulers
operating under long-term contracts) constituted an average of approximately 63%
of the solid waste disposed of at its landfills.
 
    The  table  and  landfill  descriptions  below  provide  certain  additional
information, as of May 1, 1996, regarding the five landfill operations that  the
Company currently owns and operates.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       APPROXIMATE ACREAGE        APPROXIMATE
                                                                   ---------------------------  UNUSED PERMITTED
LANDFILLS                                        LOCATION            TOTAL     PERMITTED (1)      AIRSPACE (2)
- - ---------------------------------------  ------------------------  ---------  ----------------  ----------------
<S>                                      <C>                       <C>        <C>               <C>
                                                                                                (IN MILLIONS OF
                                                                                                  CUBIC YARDS)
Livingston.............................  Pontiac, IL                     556          255(3)           31.4(3)
Wyandot................................  Upper Sandusky, OH              344           87               6.7
Clarion................................  Leeper, PA                      606           60               4.7
Wheatland..............................  Scammon, KS                      68           55               1.7
Pittsburg County.......................  Pittsburg, OK                    76           15               0.5
                                                                   ---------          ---               ---
    Total..............................                                1,650          472              45.0
                                                                   ---------          ---               ---
                                                                   ---------          ---               ---
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
(1) Permitted  acreage, as used in this table and in this Prospectus, represents
    the portion of  the total  acreage on  which disposal  cells and  supporting
    facilities have been constructed (including any that may have been filled or
    capped)  or may be  constructed based upon  an approval issued  by the state
    generally authorizing  the  development  or  siting of  a  landfill  on  the
    acreage.  Prior to actually constructing  and/or operating each new disposal
    cell on  the permitted  acreage, it  may be  necessary, depending  upon  the
    regulatory  requirements of the particular state,  for the Company to obtain
    additional authorizations with respect  to such cell.  The portion of  total
    acreage  that is not currently permitted  acreage is not currently available
    for waste disposal.
(2) Unused permitted  airspace represents  in  cubic yards  the portion  of  the
    permitted  acreage that has not yet been  used for waste disposal but may be
    available for waste  disposal after  certain approvals are  secured and,  in
    some  instances,  new  disposal  cells are  constructed.  Prior  to actually
    constructing and/or  operating a  new  disposal area  or cell  on  permitted
    acreage,  it may be necessary, depending upon the regulatory requirements of
    the particular  state or  locality,  for the  Company to  obtain  additional
    authorizations.
(3) Includes  approximately 200 acres and 26.0 million cubic yards for which the
    Company has received siting approval,  a prerequisite to obtaining a  permit
    for  a landfill  in Illinois.  The Company  submitted its  application for a
    permit in November 1995. There can be no assurance that any permit  received
    will  be for the same specifications  as the application, or that additional
    terms or conditions will not be imposed.
 
    The Company monitors the available  permitted in-place disposal capacity  at
each  of its  landfills on  an ongoing  basis and  evaluates whether  to seek to
expand this capacity. In making  this evaluation, the Company considers  various
factors,  including  the volume  of waste  projected  to be  disposed of  at the
landfill, the size  of the  unpermitted acreage  included in  the landfill,  the
likelihood  that  the  Company will  be  successful in  obtaining  the necessary
approvals and permits  required for the  expansion and the  costs that would  be
involved  in developing the expanded capacity.  The Company also considers on an
ongoing basis the extent to which it  is advisable, in light of changing  market
conditions  and/or  regulatory requirements,  to seek  to  expand or  change the
permitted waste  streams  at a  particular  landfill  or to  seek  other  permit
modifications.  Set forth below is certain information concerning certain of the
new permits, permit modifications  and approvals that  the Company is  currently
seeking   or   expects  to   seek   to  enable   it   to  expand   its  disposal
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
capacity. There can be no assurance  that the Company will succeed in  obtaining
any  of  such permits,  permit modifications  or  approvals, or  that additional
permits, permit  modifications  or  approvals  will  not  be  required  or  that
additional  requirements will not  be imposed by  regulatory agencies. See "Risk
Factors -- Limitations on  Expansion" and "--  Extensive Environmental Land  Use
Laws and Regulations."
 
    LIVINGSTON.  The Livingston landfill consists of approximately 556 acres, of
which  approximately  255  are  permitted acres.  There  are  approximately 31.4
million  cubic  yards   of  unused  permitted   or  sited  airspace,   including
approximately 26.0 million cubic yards for which the Company has received siting
approval, a prerequisite to obtaining a permit for a landfill in Illinois. Cells
developed  to date at the Livingston  landfill have been constructed with double
composite liner  systems.  In October  1995,  Livingston received  local  siting
approval  from  the Livingston  County Board  for a  major lateral  and vertical
expansion and  re-permitting of  the site.  The local  siting approval  included
authorization  to expand the residual waste  monofill into a facility capable of
accepting various  special wastes  and MSW.  The siting  approval also  included
authorization  to develop additional acreage north of the existing site. The net
effect of  this approval  was to  increase the  sited acreage  by 200  acres  to
approximately  255  acres  and  increase  the  site's  available  capacity  from
approximately 6.0  million cubic  yards to  an estimated  available capacity  of
approximately  31.4  million cubic  yards  as of  January  1, 1996.  The Company
submitted its  permit  application in  November  1995 and  such  application  is
pending  before the Illinois  Environmental Protection Agency.  In addition, the
Company is  seeking permission  from applicable  regulatory authorities  to  use
single  composite liner  systems in  constructing new  cells, which  the Company
believes should  reduce cell  development costs.  The Company  anticipates  that
after the planned expansion, the Livingston landfill would have approximately 20
years of total site life at current disposal levels.
 
    WYANDOT.   The Wyandot landfill consists of approximately 344 acres in three
proximate  locations,  and  the  Company  has  an  option  to  purchase  up   to
approximately 94 additional acres in the vicinity. Approximately 87 of the owned
acres  are permitted,  and there  are approximately  6.7 million  cubic yards of
unused permitted airspace. Cells developed to date at the Wyandot landfill  have
been  constructed with double composite liner systems. The Company plans to seek
permission from applicable regulatory authorities to use alternative designs  in
constructing   new  cells,  which  the   Company  believes  should  reduce  cell
development costs.  The  Company plans  to  apply for  a  permit from  the  Ohio
Environmental  Protection Agency  to expand its  landfill capacity  by using the
valley between two of the hills that are currently permitted for waste disposal,
as well as the option acreage. The Company anticipates that if it exercised  its
option,  obtained the required  permits and constructed  the additional landfill
areas, the Wyandot landfill would have approximately 20 years of total site life
at currently anticipated disposal levels.
 
    CLARION.  The Clarion landfill consists of approximately 606 acres, of which
approximately 60 are permitted acres. There are approximately 4.7 million  cubic
yards of unused permitted airspace. Cells developed at the Clarion landfill have
been,  and due to regulatory requirements  will continue to be, constructed with
double liner systems. The Clarion landfill  has approximately 13 years of  total
site life at current disposal levels.
 
    WHEATLAND.   The Wheatland landfill consists  of approximately 68 acres, and
the Company has an option to  purchase up to approximately 800 additional  acres
in  the vicinity. Approximately  55 of the  owned acres are  permitted acres and
there are approximately 1.7  million cubic yards  of unused permitted  airspace.
The  Company anticipates that after a  planned expansion, the Wheatland landfill
would have approximately  eight years  of total  site life  at current  disposal
levels.  In addition, the Company is evaluating several alternatives for further
expansion at the Wheatland landfill or for developing a landfill at a  different
site.
 
    PITTSBURG  COUNTY.  The Pittsburg  County landfill consists of approximately
76 acres, of which approximately 15 are permitted acres. There are approximately
0.5 million cubic yards of unused permitted airspace. The Company plans to apply
for a permit in the near future to build a lateral expansion that would increase
permitted capacity to approximately 30 acres. The Company anticipates that after
the planned expansion, the Pittsburg County landfill would have approximately 25
years of total site life at current disposal levels.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
TRANSFER STATIONS
 
    The Company has an active program  to acquire, develop and operate  transfer
stations  in its landfill  markets. Presently the Company  owns, operates or has
exclusive contracts to  receive waste from  a total of  seven transfer  stations
(three  of which  are owned and  four of  which are under  exclusive contract to
provide their  waste  to  the  Company) at  which  solid  waste  collected  from
individual customers in Company-owned vehicles or waste delivered by third-party
collection  companies  is  unloaded,  compacted,  reloaded  and  transported  to
Company-owned landfills.  The use  of transfer  stations reduces  the  Company's
costs  by improving  its utilization of  collection personnel  and equipment and
increasing the market area that the Company's landfills can serve. See, however,
"Risk Factors -- Extensive Environmental and Land Use Laws and Regulations." The
Company plans  to  expand  into  contiguous or  proximate  markets  through  the
development or acquisition of additional transfer stations in 1996.
 
COLLECTION OPERATIONS
 
    The  Company collects solid  waste from over  85,000 residential, commercial
and industrial  customers  through its  own  collection operations  and  through
brokerage  arrangements with other haulers.  The Company's collection operations
are conducted generally within a 50-mile radius of either its transfer  stations
or  landfills, which  allows the  Company to  serve a  geographic area  within a
radius of approximately 125 miles from its landfills. The Company also contracts
with local generators of  solid waste and  directs the waste  to either its  own
landfill  or to a third-party landfill or  for additional handling at one of its
transfer stations. During the three months  ended March 31, 1996, the  Company's
captive  waste (including  the Company's  collection operations  and third party
haulers  operating  under  long-term   contracts)  constituted  an  average   of
approximately 63% of the solid waste disposed of at its landfills. See, however,
"Risk Factors -- Dependence on Third Party Collection Operations."
 
    Fees  for the  Company's commercial  and industrial  collection services are
determined by  such  factors as  collection  frequency, type  of  equipment  and
containers  furnished, the type,  volume and weight of  the waste collected, the
distance to the  disposal or  processing facility and  the cost  of disposal  or
processing.  A  majority  of  the  Company's  commercial  and  industrial  waste
collection services  are performed  under contracts.  Substantially all  of  the
Company's   municipal  solid  waste  collection  services  are  performed  under
contracts with  municipalities.  These  contracts grant  the  Company  exclusive
rights  to service  all or  a portion  of the  residential homes  in a specified
community or provide a  central repository for  residential waste drop-off.  The
Company  had 46  municipal contracts  in place as  of March  31, 1996. Municipal
contracts in  the  Company's  market  areas  are  typically  awarded,  at  least
initially,  on a competitive bid basis and usually range in duration from one to
five years. Fees are based primarily on  the frequency and type of service,  the
distance  to the  disposal or  processing facility and  the cost  of disposal or
processing.  Municipal  collection   fees  are  usually   paid  either  by   the
municipalities  from  tax  revenues or  through  direct service  charges  to the
residents  receiving  the  service.  The  Company  also  provides   subscription
residential collection services directly to households.
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
    The  Company has a coordinated marketing strategy which is formulated at the
corporate level and implemented at the regional level to achieve its desired mix
of MSW and special waste in each of its regions. For example, certain  employees
of  the Company in its  Ohio and Pennsylvania regions  focus on securing special
waste generated by industrial customers. In addition to competitive pricing, the
Company's  marketing  strategy  emphasizes  quality  service  particularly  with
respect  to rapid turnaround time at  its landfills. Each manager implements the
Company's marketing strategy, which is overseen by senior management.  Depending
upon  the size  of the region  and its customer  mix, each manager  may focus on
commercial, industrial, residential or municipal  accounts to a varying  degree.
The  Company maintains  periodic contact  with all  of its  accounts to increase
customer retention.  Company salespersons  call on  prospective customers  in  a
specified geographic territory.
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
    Since  the Company acquires  its waste collection  operations primarily from
entrepreneurs who generally do  not have independent  sales forces, the  Company
often  retains these  entrepreneurs during  the transition  period following the
acquisition of such operations  to acquaint the Company's  sales force with  the
acquired companies' customer base.
 
    The  Company has a diverse customer base, with no single customer accounting
for more  than 10%  of the  Company's revenues  in 1995.  The Company  does  not
believe  that the  loss of  any single  customer would  have a  material adverse
effect on the Company's results of operation.
 
COMPETITION
 
    The solid waste collection and  disposal business is highly competitive  and
requires  substantial  amounts of  capital. The  Company competes  with numerous
local and regional  companies and, in  selected areas, with  the large  national
waste  management  companies.  The  industry  is  led  by  four  national  waste
companies, WMX  Technologies, Inc.,  Browning-Ferris Industries,  Inc.,  Laidlaw
Waste Systems, Inc. and USA Waste Services, Inc. and includes numerous local and
regional  companies of varying sizes and competitive resources such as Sanifill,
Inc., United Waste  Systems, Inc.,  Allied Waste Industries,  Inc. and  Republic
Industries,  Inc.  The large  national companies,  as  well as  a number  of the
regional  companies,  are  significantly  larger  and  have  greater   financial
resources  than the Company.  The Company also competes  with those counties and
municipalities that maintain their own waste collection and disposal operations.
These counties  and municipalities  may  have financial  advantages due  to  the
availability  to  them of  tax revenues  and tax  exempt financing.  The Company
competes primarily by charging competitive prices and offering quality  service.
Competitors may reduce the price of their services in an effort to expand market
share or to win competitively bid municipal contracts.
 
    The  solid waste  collection and  disposal industry  is currently undergoing
significant consolidation, and the Company encounters competition in its efforts
to acquire  landfills  and collection  operations.  Accordingly, it  may  become
uneconomical  for the Company to make further acquisitions or the Company may be
unable to locate or acquire suitable acquisition candidates at price levels  and
on  terms and conditions that the Company considers appropriate, particularly in
markets the Company does not already serve.
 
    Competition in the disposal industry may also be affected by the  increasing
national  emphasis on  recycling and other  waste reduction  programs, which may
reduce the volume of waste deposited  in landfills. See "Risk Factors --  Highly
Competitive Industry" and "-- Use of Alternatives to Landfill Disposal."
 
LIABILITY INSURANCE AND BONDING
 
    The  Company carries a  broad range of  insurance for the  protection of its
assets and operations  that it  believes is  customary to  the waste  management
industry,  including  pollution liability  coverage.  Specifically, each  of the
Company's five landfills has  pollution liability coverage  of $1.0 million  per
occurrence  or $2.0  million in the  aggregate subject to  a $25,000 deductible.
Nevertheless, if the Company  were to incur  liability for environmental  damage
which  exceeds coverage  limits or  is not  covered by  insurance, its business,
financial condition  and results  of operations  could be  materially  adversely
affected.
 
    The  Company is  required to  post a  performance bond  or a  bank letter of
credit or  to provide  other forms  of financial  assurance in  connection  with
closure  and post-closure  obligations with respect  to landfills  and its other
solid waste management operations and may be required to provide such  financial
assurance  in connection with municipal  residential collection contracts. As of
July 11,  1996,  the  Company  had  outstanding  approximately  $15  million  of
performance  bonds and $90,000 in letters of  credit. If the Company were unable
to obtain surety bonds or letters of credit in sufficient amounts, or to provide
other required forms  of financial assurance,  it would be  unable to remain  in
compliance with the Subtitle D Regulations or comparable state requirements and,
among  other things,  might be  precluded from  entering into  certain municipal
collection contracts and obtaining or holding landfill operating permits.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
    At June 30, 1996,  the Company employed approximately  347 employees, 30  of
whom  were managers  or professionals,  246 of  whom were  hourly paid employees
involved in collection, transfer and disposal
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
operations, and  71 of  whom  were sales,  clerical,  data processing  or  other
administrative  employees.  None of  the Company's  employees is  represented by
unions, and the Company has no knowledge of any organizational efforts among its
employees. The Company believes that its relations with its employees are good.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
 
    The Company  is subject  to extensive  and evolving  environmental laws  and
regulations  that have  been enacted in  response to  technological advances and
increased concern over environmental issues. These regulations are  administered
by   the  EPA  and  various  other   federal,  state  and  local  environmental,
transportation, health and safety agencies. The Company believes that there will
continue to  be increased  regulation,  legislation and  regulatory  enforcement
actions related to the solid waste management, collection and disposal industry.
In  light  of  these developments,  the  Company attempts  to  anticipate future
regulatory requirements that might be imposed and plans accordingly to remain in
compliance with the regulatory framework.
 
    In order to develop and operate a landfill, transfer station or other  solid
waste  management  facility,  the  Company  typically  must  go  through several
governmental review processes and obtain one or more permits and often zoning or
other land use  approvals. These permits  and zoning or  land use approvals  are
difficult and time consuming to obtain or to secure renewal of and sometimes are
opposed  by various local elected officials and citizens' groups. Once obtained,
operating permits  generally must  be periodically  renewed and  are subject  to
modification and revocation by the issuing agency.
 
    The  Company's operation of solid waste  management facilities subject it to
certain operational, monitoring, site maintenance, closure and post-closure  and
financial  assurance obligations which change from  time to time and which could
give rise to increased capital  expenditures and operating costs. In  connection
with  the Company's acquisition of existing  landfills, it is often necessary to
expend considerable time, effort  and money in  complying with the  governmental
review  and permitting process necessary to maintain or increase the capacity of
these landfills. Governmental authorities have  the power to enforce  compliance
with  these laws and  regulations and to  obtain injunctions or  impose civil or
criminal penalties in the case of violations. During the ordinary course of  its
landfill  operations, the  Company has from  time to time  received citations or
notices from such authorities  that such operations are  not in compliance  with
certain  applicable  environmental laws  and regulations.  Upon receipt  of such
citations or notices,  the Company generally  works with the  authorities in  an
attempt  to resolve the issues  raised by such citations  or notices. Failure to
correct the  problems to  the  satisfaction of  the  authorities could  lead  to
curtailed operations or even closure of a landfill.
 
    In order to transport solid waste, it is generally necessary for the Company
to  possess one or more permits from state or local agencies. These permits must
also be periodically renewed and are  subject to modification and revocation  by
the  issuing agency. In addition,  the Company's waste transportation operations
are subject to evolving law and regulations that impose operational, monitoring,
training and safety requirements. The Company operates in substantial conformity
with its permits.
 
    The principal federal, state and  local statutes and regulations  applicable
to the Company's operations are as follows:
 
    THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT OF 1976 ("RCRA").  RCRA regulates
the  generation, treatment,  storage, handling,  transportation and  disposal of
solid waste and requires states to develop programs to insure the safe  disposal
of  solid  waste.  RCRA  divides  solid waste  into  two  groups,  hazardous and
non-hazardous. Wastes are generally classified as hazardous wastes if they:  (i)
either  (a)  are specifically  included on  a  list of  hazardous wastes  or (b)
exhibit  certain  hazardous  characteristics;  and  (ii)  are  not  specifically
designated  as  non-hazardous. Wastes  classified  as hazardous  under  RCRA are
subject to much  stricter regulation  than wastes  classified as  non-hazardous.
Among  the wastes  that are specifically  designated as  non-hazardous waste are
household waste and special wastes. These wastes, which will be accepted at  the
Company's  landfills, may contain  substances that may  be as toxic  or prone to
cause contamination as some wastes classified and regulated as hazardous.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
    In October  1991, the  EPA adopted  the Subtitle  D Regulations.  These  new
regulations  became generally effective in October  1993 (except for certain MSW
landfills accepting less than 100 tons per  day, as to which the effective  date
was  April  9,  1994, and  new  financial assurance  requirements,  which become
effective April 9,  1997) and  include location  restrictions, siting  criteria,
facility   design  standards,  operating   criteria,  closure  and  post-closure
requirements,   financial   assurance   requirements,   groundwater   monitoring
requirements,   groundwater   remediation   standards   and   corrective  action
requirements. In addition, these new regulations require that new landfill units
meet more  stringent  liner  design  criteria  (typically,  composite  soil  and
synthetic  liners or two or more synthetic liners) designed to keep leachate out
of groundwater and have extensive collection systems to carry away leachate  for
treatment  prior  to  disposal.  Groundwater wells  must  also  be  installed at
virtually all landfills  to monitor  groundwater quality.  The Company  believes
that  there is no groundwater contamination at its landfills that is material to
its financial  condition. The  regulations also  require, where  threshold  test
levels  are present, that methane gas generated  at landfills be controlled in a
manner that  will  protect human  health  and  the environment.  Each  state  is
required  to revise its landfill regulations  to meet these requirements or such
requirements will be  automatically imposed upon  it by the  EPA. Each state  is
also  required  to adopt  and implement  a permit  program or  other appropriate
system to ensure  that landfills  within the state  comply with  the Subtitle  D
criteria.   All  states  in  which  the  Company  owns  landfills  have  adopted
regulations or programs as  stringent as or more  stringent than the Subtitle  D
Regulations,  which were first proposed in August  1988. All states in which the
Company's landfills  are  located  have  adopted the  required  plans  and  have
submitted  them to the EPA for review. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio and Illinois
have each received full EPA approval for their programs, and Kansas has received
partial approval for its program.
 
    THE FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION CONTROL  ACT OF  1977, AS  AMENDED (THE  "CLEAN
WATER  ACT").  The Clean Water Act establishes rules regulating the discharge of
pollutants from a variety of sources, including solid waste disposal sites, into
waters of the United States. If runoff or collected leachate from the  Company's
landfills  is discharged into waters  of the United States,  the Clean Water Act
would require the Company  to apply for and  obtain a discharge permit,  conduct
sampling and monitoring and, under certain circumstances, reduce the quantity of
pollutants  in such  discharge. Also,  virtually all  landfills are  required to
comply with  the new  federal storm  water regulations,  which are  designed  to
prevent  possibly  contaminated storm  water from  flowing into  surface waters.
These regulations required that applications for stormwater discharge permits be
submitted  by  October  1992.  The  Company  is  working  with  the  appropriate
regulatory  agencies to ensure that its  facilities are in compliance with Clean
Water Act requirements, particularly as they apply to treatment and discharge of
leachate and  storm  water. The  Company  has secured  or  has applied  for  the
required   discharge   permits  under   the  Clean   Water  Act   or  comparable
state-delegated programs. In  those instances where  the Company's  applications
for  discharge permits  are pending  and a final  discharge permit  has not been
issued, the Company is substantially  in compliance with applicable  substantive
standards  set by the respective states in administering the Clean Water Act. To
ensure  compliance  with  the  Clean   Water  Act  pretreatment  and   discharge
requirements,  the Company has  arranged to discharge  its effluent to municipal
wastewater treatment facilities, except at the Pittsburg County landfill,  where
the  state regulatory agency has allowed recirculation of the Company's leachate
to a lined area of the landfill.
 
    THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT OF
1980 ("CERCLA"). CERCLA established a  regulatory and remedial program  intended
to  provide for the investigation and cleanup of facilities from which there has
been,  or  is  threatened,  a  release  of  any  hazardous  substance  into  the
environment. CERCLA's primary mechanism for remedying such problems is to impose
strict  joint and several liability for  cleanup of facilities on current owners
and operators of the site, former owners  and operators of the site at the  time
of  the disposal of the  hazardous substances, as well  as the generators of the
hazardous  substances  and  the  transporters  who  arranged  for  disposal   or
transportation  of the hazardous  substances. The costs  of CERCLA investigation
and cleanup can be very substantial. Liability under CERCLA does not depend upon
the existence or disposal of "hazardous waste" but can also be founded upon  the
existence  of  even  very  small  amounts of  the  many  hundreds  of "hazardous
substances" listed by the EPA, many of which can be found in household waste. If
the Company were to  be found to  be a responsible party  for a CERCLA  cleanup,
either  at one of the Company's owned or operated facilities, or at a site where
waste transported by  the Company has  been stored or  disposed of, the  Company
could be held completely
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
responsible  for all investigative and remedial costs even if others may also be
liable. CERCLA also authorizes the imposition of  a lien in favor of the  United
States  upon all real property  subject to or affected  by a remedial action for
all costs  for  which  a  party  is liable.  The  Company's  ability  to  obtain
reimbursement  from  others for  their allocable  share of  such costs  would be
limited by the Company's ability to find other responsible parties and prove the
extent of their  responsibility and  by the  financial resources  of such  other
parties.  In the past, legislation has been  introduced in Congress to limit the
liability  of  municipalities  and  others   under  CERCLA  as  generators   and
transporters  of municipal solid  waste. Although such  legislation has not been
enacted, if it were to  pass it would limit the  Company's ability to seek  full
contribution  from municipalities for CERCLA cleanup costs even if the hazardous
substances that were  released and caused  the need  for cleanup at  one of  the
Company's  facilities  were generated  by or  transported to  the facility  by a
municipality.
 
    Continued funding for implementation of RCRA, the Clean Water Act and CERCLA
is scheduled for reauthorization by  Congress this year. Depending upon  whether
and  how Congress acts, it is possible that each of these laws may be changed in
ways that may significantly affect the Company's business.
 
    THE CLEAN  AIR ACT.   The  Clean  Air Act,  including the  1990  amendments,
provides  for regulation, through state  implementation of federal requirements,
of the emission of air pollutants from certain landfills based upon the date  of
the  landfill  construction  and  volume  per  year  of  emissions  of regulated
pollutants. The EPA  has recently promulgated  new source performance  standards
regulating   air  emissions   of  certain  regulated   pollutants  (methane  and
non-methane organic compounds) from municipal solid waste landfills. The EPA has
also issued regulations  controlling the emissions  of particular regulated  air
pollutants  from  municipal solid  waste landfills.  Landfills located  in areas
designated as  having  air  pollution  problems may  be  subject  to  even  more
extensive  air pollution controls and emission limitations. In addition, the EPA
has issued standards regulating the disposal of asbestos-containing materials.
 
    Each  of   the  federal   statutes  described   above  contains   provisions
authorizing,  under certain circumstances,  the bringing of  lawsuits by private
citizens to enforce the provisions of the statutes.
 
    THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT  OF 1970 ("OSHA").  OSHA  establishes
employer  responsibilities and  authorizes the promulgation  by the Occupational
Safety and Health  Administration of occupational  health and safety  standards,
including  the obligation  to maintain  a workplace  free of  recognized hazards
likely to  cause  death  or  serious  injury,  to  comply  with  adopted  worker
protection  standards,  to maintain  certain  records, to  provide  workers with
required disclosures  and  to  implement  certain  health  and  safety  training
programs.  Various of  those promulgated  standards may  apply to  the Company's
operations, including those standards concerning  notices of hazards, safety  in
excavation and demolition work, the handling of asbestos and asbestos-containing
materials,  and worker training  and emergency response  programs. The Company's
employees are  trained  to  respond  appropriately in  the  event  there  is  an
accidental  spill or release of  packaged asbestos-containing materials or other
regulated substances during transportation or landfill disposal.
 
    STATE AND LOCAL REGULATION.  Each state in which the Company now operates or
may operate in  the future has  laws and regulations  governing the  generation,
storage,  treatment, handling, transportation and disposal of solid waste, water
and  air  pollution  and,  in   most  cases,  the  siting,  design,   operation,
maintenance,  closure  and post-closure  maintenance  of landfills  and transfer
stations. In addition, many states have adopted "Superfund" statutes  comparable
to,  and  in  some cases  more  stringent  than, CERCLA.  These  statutes impose
requirements for investigation and cleanup  of contaminated sites and  liability
for  costs and  damages associated  with such  sites, and  some provide  for the
imposition of liens on property owned by responsible parties. Furthermore,  many
municipalities  also  have  ordinances,  local  laws  and  regulations affecting
Company operations. These include  zoning and health  measures that limit  solid
waste  management  activities to  specified  sites or  activities,  flow control
provisions that direct the delivery of solid wastes to specific facilities, laws
that grant the right  to establish franchises for  collection services and  then
put  out for bid for the right to provide collection services, and bans or other
restrictions on the movement of solid wastes into a municipality.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
    Certain permits  and approvals  may limit  the types  of waste  that may  be
accepted  at a  landfill or  the quantity  of waste  that may  be accepted  at a
landfill during a given time period. In addition, certain permits and approvals,
as well  as  certain  state and  local  regulations,  may limit  a  landfill  to
accepting  waste  that originates  from specified  geographic  areas or  seek to
restrict the importation of out-of-state waste or otherwise discriminate against
out-of-state waste. Generally, restrictions  on the importation of  out-of-state
waste  have not withstood judicial challenge. However, from time to time federal
legislation is  proposed which  would allow  individual states  to prohibit  the
disposal of out-of-state waste or to limit the amount of out-of-state waste that
could  be  imported  for  disposal  and  would  require  states,  under  certain
circumstances, to reduce the amounts of waste exported to other states. Although
such legislation  has  not been  passed  by Congress  yet,  if this  or  similar
legislation is enacted, states in which the Company operates landfills could act
to  limit or prohibit the importation  of out-of-state waste. Such state actions
could materially adversely affect landfills  within those states that receive  a
significant portion of waste originating from out-of-state.
 
    In addition, certain states and localities may for economic or other reasons
restrict  the exportation  of waste  from their  jurisdiction or  require that a
specified  amount  of  waste   be  disposed  of   at  facilities  within   their
jurisdiction.  In 1994, the  United States Supreme  Court held unconstitutional,
and therefore invalid, a local ordinance that sought to impose flow controls  on
taking waste out of the locality. However, certain state and local jurisdictions
continue to seek to enforce such restrictions and, in certain cases, the Company
may  elect not to challenge such restrictions based upon various considerations.
In addition, the aforementioned proposed federal legislation would allow  states
and  localities to impose certain  flow control restrictions. These restrictions
could result in the volume of waste going to landfills being reduced in  certain
areas,  which may materially  adversely affect the  Company's ability to operate
its landfills  at their  full capacity  and/or  affect the  prices that  can  be
charged  for landfill disposal  services. These restrictions  may also result in
higher disposal costs for  the Company's collection  operations. If the  Company
were  unable to pass such  higher costs through to  its customers, the Company's
business, financial  condition and  results of  operations could  be  materially
adversely affected.
 
    There  has been an increasing trend at  the state and local level to mandate
and encourage waste reduction at the source and waste recycling and to  prohibit
or  restrict the disposal of certain types of solid wastes, such as yard wastes,
leaves and tires, in landfills. The enactment of regulations reducing the volume
and types of wastes available for  transport to and disposal in landfills  could
affect the Company's ability to operate its facilities at their full capacity.
 
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    The  principal  fixed assets  used  by the  Company  in connection  with its
landfill operations are  its landfills  which are described  under "Business  --
Operations  -- Landfills." The  five landfill operations  currently owned by the
Company are situated on sites owned by the Company.
 
    The principal fixed assets used by the Company in its collection  operations
and  transfer  stations are  approximately 47  acres of  land used  for transfer
stations and  other  facilities  related  to  collection  operations  (of  which
approximately  27 acres are owned and 20 acres are leased); and approximately 68
landfill equipment and machinery units,  16,887 collection containers and  small
equipment  units  and 283  trucks and  trailers (in  each instance,  such number
includes owned and leased units).
 
    The Company's corporate  headquarters are located  in Burr Ridge,  Illinois,
where it leases approximately 4,000 square feet of space.
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    In  the  normal course  of its  business and  as a  result of  the extensive
governmental regulation  of the  waste industry,  the Company  may  periodically
become  subject  to various  judicial  and administrative  proceedings involving
federal, state or local  agencies. In these proceedings,  an agency may seek  to
impose  fines on  the Company  to revoke,  or to  deny renewal  of, an operating
permit held by the Company. From time  to time, the Company also may be  subject
to actions brought by citizens' groups or adjacent landowners in connection with
the  permitting and licensing of its landfills or transfer stations, or alleging
environmental damage  or violations  of the  permits and  licensees pursuant  to
which the Company operates.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
    Thirty-four  plaintiffs in the vicinity  of the Company's Wheatland landfill
initiated a  suit in  1993 seeking  actual and  punitive damages  for  nuisance,
trespass  and negligence. The suit is pending  in the District Court of Crawford
County, Kansas. Plaintiffs claim to have suffered a diminution in real  property
values,  lost  past and  future profits  for three  businesses, reduced  use and
enjoyment of  their residences  for individual  plaintiffs, mental  anguish  and
personal  injury. Three plaintiffs have  since voluntarily withdrawn their cases
and two additional plaintiffs  have reached settlement with  the Company for  an
aggregate  of $70,000. The Company has  entered into a settlement agreement with
the remaining  plaintiffs and  is  awaiting court  approval for  the  settlement
agreement  with respect to the  claims made by three  plaintiffs who are minors.
The Company believes that  such agreement will  not materially adversely  affect
its business, financial condition or results of operations.
 
    In  addition, the Company is or may become party to various claims and suits
pending for  alleged  damages to  persons  and property,  alleged  violation  of
certain laws and for alleged liabilities arising out of matters occurring during
the  normal  operation  of the  waste  management  business. In  the  opinion of
management, the  liability, if  any,  under these  claims  and suits  would  not
materially  adversely  affect the  business, financial  condition or  results of
operations of the Company.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
    The   following  table  sets  forth  information  concerning  the  Company's
executive officers and directors as of May 31, 1996:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                      AGE                                POSITION
- - -------------------------------------  ---------  --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>        <C>
David C. Stoller.....................     46      Chairman; Director
Richard De Young.....................     42      President; Director
Scott H. Flamm.......................     41      Senior Vice President; Chief Financial Officer; Director
Richard Kogler.......................     37      Vice President; Chief Operating Officer
Ann L. Straw.........................     43      Vice President; General Counsel; Secretary
Lawrence R. Conrath..................     39      Vice President; Controller
John J. McDonnell....................     41      Vice President -- Engineering
Merril M. Halpern....................     62      Director
A. Lawrence Fagan (1)................     66      Director
Richard T. Henshaw, III (2)..........     57      Director
G.T. Blankenship (2).................     68      Director
Norman Steisel (1)...................     54      Director
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
(1) Member of audit committee
 
(2) Member of compensation committee
 
    DAVID C. STOLLER has been Chairman and  a director of the Company since  the
Exchange.  He has served in the same capacities for ADS (since January 1993) and
CDI (since May  1995). He  has also  been (since  August 1992)  the Chairman  of
Charterhouse  Environmental  Capital  Group,  Inc.  ("Charterhouse Environmental
Capital"), which provides management and  consulting services to companies  with
environmental  operations  including  the  Company.  Charterhouse  Environmental
Capital is an affiliate of  Charterhouse. Mr. Stoller was  a partner at the  law
firm  of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy (where he remains as "Of Counsel") from
January 1989 through July 1992.
 
    RICHARD DE YOUNG has been President and a director of the Company since  the
Exchange.  He has  also served  as President of  ADS since  April 1994  and as a
director since  September 1993  and was  the Chief  Operating Officer  and  Vice
President  for ADS from January 1993 through April 1994. Mr. De Young has been a
director of CDI  since May  1995. From  June 1982  through January  1993 he  was
employed by Waste Management of North America, a subsidiary of WMX Technologies,
Inc.  ("WMX"),  most  recently as  a  regional Operations  Vice  President, with
responsibility for landfill and collection operations in the Midwest region.
 
    SCOTT H. FLAMM  has been a  Senior Vice President,  and the Chief  Financial
Officer  of the Company since  May 1996 and a  director since the Exchange. From
the Exchange until May 1996, he was Vice Chairman of the Company. He  previously
served  as Vice Chairman  of CDI since May  1995. He has been  a director of ADS
(since January 1993) and CDI (since May  1995). He has also been Executive  Vice
President  of Charterhouse Environmental  Capital since January  1993. From 1988
until January 1993, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating  Officer
and a director of Catalyst Energy, an independent power producer.
 
    RICHARD  KOGLER has been a Vice President and the Chief Operating Officer of
the Company since the Exchange. He previously served in the same capacities  for
ADS since May 1995 and he has been President of CDI since May 1995. From October
1984  through  May 1995  Mr.  Kogler was  employed by  WMX,  most recently  as a
regional Operations Vice President.
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
    ANN L. STRAW  has been  Vice President and  General Counsel  of the  Company
since  the Exchange. She previously served in the same capacities for ADS (since
June 1995) and  for CDI (since  June 1995). She  has been the  Secretary of  CDI
since  July  1995. From  1986 through  May 1995  she was  employed by  WMX, most
recently as a Group Counsel for WMX's Midwest Group.
 
    LAWRENCE R. CONRATH has  been Controller of the  Company since the  Exchange
and  a Vice President since May 1996. He previously served as Controller for ADS
since May 1994. Prior to joining the  Company, Mr. Conrath spent two years  with
United  Waste Systems, Inc., as Regional Controller of its Michigan region. From
1978 through  1990,  Mr.  Conrath  was employed  by  WMX  in  several  financial
positions,  most recently as  Director of Accounting for  the WMX Urban Services
Group.
 
    JOHN J. MCDONNELL  has been  Vice President  -- Engineering  of the  Company
since  the  Exchange. He  previously served  as  Environmental Engineer  for ADS
(since February 1993)  and CDI  (since June  1995). From  1985 through  February
1993,  Mr.  McDonnell  was employed  by  WMX,  most recently  as  an Engineering
Manager.
 
    MERRIL M.  HALPERN  has  served as  a  director  of the  Company  since  the
Exchange. Since October 1984, Mr. Halpern has served as Chairman of the Board of
Charterhouse,  which  is a  private  investment firm  specializing  in leveraged
buy-out acquisitions. From 1973 to October 1984, Mr. Halpern served as President
and Chief Executive Officer of Charterhouse.  Mr. Halpern is also a director  of
Dreyer's  Grand Ice  Cream, Inc.,  a manufacturer  and distributor  of ice cream
products; Del Monte Corporation,  a processor and marketer  of canned foods  and
vegetables;  Designer  Holdings  Ltd.,  a  developer  and  marketer  of designer
sportswear lines ("Designer Holdings"); Insignia  Financial Group, Inc., a  real
estate  management firm;  and Microwave Power  Devices, Inc.,  a manufacturer of
highly linear  power amplifiers  primarily for  the wireless  telecommunications
market ("MPD").
 
    A.  LAWRENCE  FAGAN  has served  as  a  director of  the  Company  since the
Exchange. He has been Executive Vice  President of Charterhouse since 1984.  Mr.
Fagan is also a director of Designer Holdings and MPD.
 
    RICHARD  T.  HENSHAW, III  has  been a  director  of the  Company  since the
Exchange. He has served as a director of ADS (since January 1993) and CDI (since
May 1995). Mr. Henshaw  has been a Senior  Vice President of Charterhouse  since
1991. Prior thereto he was a Senior Vice President of The Bank of New York.
 
    G.T.  BLANKENSHIP has been a director of  the Company since the Exchange. He
previously served as a director of ADS (since January 1991). Mr. Blankenship has
been a self-employed private investor since 1990.
 
    NORMAN STEISEL has  been the  President of EnEssCo  Strategies, a  strategic
consulting  services firm  specializing in  government regulated  markets, since
January 1994. From January 1990 through December 1993, Mr. Steisel was the First
Deputy Mayor of  the City  of New  York. Prior  to 1990,  he was  a Senior  Vice
President  at Lazard Freres  & Co., specializing  in environmental corporate and
municipal finance.
 
    See  "Certain  Transactions"  and   "Principal  Stockholders"  for   certain
information concerning the Company's directors and executive officers.
 
    Directors  of  the Company  hold  office until  the  next annual  meeting of
stockholders and  until their  successors are  elected and  qualified, or  until
their earlier resignation or removal. All officers are appointed by and serve at
the  discretion of  the Board  of Directors.  There are  no family relationships
among any directors or officers of the Company.
 
    The Board of Directors has established a compensation committee and an audit
committee. The compensation  committee reviews  executive salaries,  administers
any  bonus,  incentive  compensation  and stock  option  plans  of  the Company,
including the  American Disposal  Services,  Inc. 1996  Stock Option  Plan,  and
approves  the  salaries and  other  benefits of  the  executive officers  of the
Company. In addition,  the compensation  committee consults  with the  Company's
management  regarding pension and other  benefit plans and compensation policies
and practices  of the  Company.  The audit  committee reviews  the  professional
services  provided by  the Company's  independent auditors,  the independence of
such auditors from management of the Company, the annual financial statements of
the Company and the Company's system of
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
internal accounting  controls.  The  audit committee  also  reviews  such  other
matters  with  respect  to  the  accounting,  auditing  and  financial reporting
practices and procedures of  the Company as  it may find  appropriate or may  be
brought  to  its attention,  and meets  from time  to time  with members  of the
Company's internal audit staff.
 
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
 
    In May  1996, Mr.  Stoller entered  into an  employment agreement  with  the
Company,  under  which  he  serves as  the  Company's  Chairman.  The employment
agreement provides for an annual base  salary of $300,000 and terminates on  the
first  anniversary  of the  closing of  the  Offering. The  employment agreement
provides that  Mr. Stoller  will receive  a $600,000  payment in  the event  his
employment is terminated following a "change-in-control" of the Company.
 
    In  May 1996,  Mr. De  Young entered into  an employment  agreement with the
Company, effective upon closing  of the Offering, under  which he serves as  the
Company's President. The employment agreement provides for an annual base salary
of  $300,000  and terminates  on the  third  anniversary of  the closing  of the
Offering. The employment  agreement provides that  Mr. De Young  will receive  a
$600,000  payment  in  the  event  his  employment  is  terminated  following  a
"change-in-control" of  the Company.  In  addition, if  the Company  retains  an
officer  (other than the Chairman of the Board)  in a capacity that is senior to
Mr. De Young, or if his  responsibilities are materially diminished (other  than
for  cause), Mr.  De Young will  have the  right to terminate  his employment in
which event he  will be entitled  to receive  payments equal to  the greater  of
$750,000  or the  remaining aggregate  amount of  base salary  otherwise payable
under the employment agreement.
 
    In January 1993,  Mr. McDonnell  entered into an  employment agreement  with
ADS,  under which he serves as the  Company's Vice President -- Engineering. The
employment agreement currently provides  for an annual  base salary of  $127,000
and terminates on January 26, 1998.
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
    During  1995, the Board of Directors  determined the compensation of all the
Company's executive officers. Since  May 16, 1996,  all such deliberations  were
made  by the Company's compensation committee. The compensation committee of the
Board of Directors consists of Messrs. Blankenship and Henshaw. No member of the
compensation committee or executive  officer of the  Company has a  relationship
that  would constitute an interlocking  relationship with the executive officers
or directors of another entity.
 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
    The only directors who  will be compensated for  services as a director  are
Messrs.  Blankenship  and Steisel,  each of  whom will  receive $2,000  for each
meeting of the Board of Directors which he attends and $500 for each meeting  of
a committee of the Board of Directors which he attends.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
    The  following table sets forth,  for the year ended  December 31, 1995, the
cash compensation paid and  shares underlying options granted  to Mr. De  Young,
the  President of the Company, and each other executive officer whose salary for
such fiscal year was in excess of  $100,000. The Company did not pay bonuses  to
these individuals during the year ended December 31, 1995.
 
                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            SHARES
                                                                                          UNDERLYING
                                                                             SALARY    OPTIONS GRANTED
                                                                           ----------  ----------------
<S>                                                                        <C>         <C>
Richard De Young, President..............................................  $  230,092        212,109
Scott H. Flamm, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer...........     122,106(1)        83,989
John J. McDonnell, Vice President -- Engineering.........................     109,447         49,205
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
(1) Represents  the salary  received since June  1995, when Mr.  Flamm became an
    employee of the Company.
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
STOCK OPTIONS
 
    The following table contains information concerning the grant of options  to
purchase  shares of the  Company's Common Stock  to each of  the named executive
officers of  the Company  during the  year  ended December  31, 1995.  No  stock
appreciation rights ("SARS") were granted in 1995.
 
                       OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     INDIVIDUAL GRANTS
                           -------------------------------------
                                        PERCENT OF
                                           TOTAL                                POTENTIAL REALIZABLE VALUE
                            NUMBER OF     OPTIONS                               AT ASSUMED ANNUAL RATES OF
                           SECURITIES   GRANTED TO                                STOCK APPRECIATION FOR
                           UNDERLYING    EMPLOYEES    EXERCISE                       OPTION TERM (1)
                             OPTIONS     IN FISCAL      PRICE      EXPIRATION   --------------------------
NAME                         GRANTED       YEAR       ($/SHARE)     DATE (2)         5%           10%
- - -------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                        <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>           <C>
Richard De Young.........     212,109       30.41%    $    7.41       8/1/2005  $  1,414,664  $  3,008,789
Scott H. Flamm...........      83,989       12.04%    $    7.41     12/27/2005       584,299     1,263,394
John J. McDonnell........       1,263        0.18%    $    7.17      2/23/2002         5,992        10,623
                               47,942        6.87%    $    7.41       8/1/2005       319,750       680,062
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
   
(1) Based  on  certain  assumed rates  of  appreciation from  an  initial public
    offering price of $9.00 as of June 1, 1996. The potential realizable  values
    set forth above do not take into account applicable tax and expense payments
    that  may be associated with such option exercises. Actual realizable value,
    if any, will be  dependent on the  future price of the  Common Stock on  the
    actual  date of  exercise, which may  be earlier than  the stated expiration
    date. The 5% and  10% assumed annualized rates  of stock price  appreciation
    over the exercise period of the options used in the table above are mandated
    by  the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and do not represent
    the Company's estimate or projection of the future price of the Common Stock
    on any date. There is no  representation either express or implied that  the
    stock  price appreciation rates for the Common Stock assumed for purposes of
    this table will actually be achieved.
    
 
(2) Each option is subject  to earlier termination  if the officer's  employment
    with the Company is terminated.
 
    The  following table sets forth information  for each of the named executive
officers with respect  to the value  of options outstanding  as of December  31,
1995. There were no options exercised during 1995.
 
                         FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     NUMBER OF SECURITIES
                                                    UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED       VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                   OPTIONS AT DECEMBER 31,       IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                                                             1995              AT DECEMBER 31, 1995 (1)
                                                  --------------------------  --------------------------
NAME                                              EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE  EXERCISABLE  UNEXERCISABLE
- - ------------------------------------------------  -----------  -------------  -----------  -------------
<S>                                               <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>
Richard De Young................................      26,537        256,205    $  48,563    $   417,951
Scott H. Flamm..................................      14,822         69,167       23,567        109,976
John J. McDonnell...............................       8,846         63,904       16,188        105,438
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
   
(1) Represents  the difference between an initial public offering price of $9.00
    and the exercise price per share of the in-the-money options, multiplied  by
    the number of shares underlying the in-the-money options.
    
 
1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
 
    Effective  as of January 1, 1996,  the Company adopted the American Disposal
Services, Inc. 1996 Stock  Option Plan (the  "Plan"). The Plan  is a stock  plan
providing  for  the  grant of  incentive  stock options  and  nonqualified stock
options to key employees and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries.
 
    ADMINISTRATION.  The Plan is administrated by the compensation committee  of
the Company's Board of Directors (the "Committee"). The Committee determines the
key employees and consultants eligible to receive options and the terms thereof,
all in a manner consistent with the Plan.
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
    SHARES  SUBJECT TO  OPTIONS.   The Plan  provides that  the total  number of
shares of Common Stock that may be subject to options shall be 1,100,000 shares.
Shares subject to  any option which  terminates or expires  unexercised will  be
available for subsequent grants.
 
    OPTIONS.   The Plan  provides for the  grant of incentive  stock options and
nonqualified stock options to  key employees and  consultants, as determined  by
the  Committee. The exercise price of  incentive stock options granted under the
Plan shall be at least 100% of fair market value of the Common Stock on the date
of grant and the exercise price of nonqualified stock options shall be at  least
equal  to the par value of the Common Stock. Nonqualified stock options shall be
exercisable for not  more than  ten years, and  incentive stock  options may  be
exercisable  for up to ten years except as otherwise provided. The Committee may
provide that an optionee may pay for  shares upon exercise of an option: (i)  in
cash;  (ii)  in  already-owned shares  of  Common  Stock; (iii)  by  agreeing to
surrender then exercisable options equivalent in value; (iv) by payment  through
a  cash or margin  arrangement with a  broker; (v) in  shares otherwise issuable
upon exercise of the option; or (vi) by such other medium or by any  combination
of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) as authorized by the Committee. The grant of an
option  may be accompanied by a reload  option, which gives an optionee who pays
the exercise price of an option with shares of Common Stock an additional option
to acquire the  same number  of shares  that was used  to pay  for the  original
option.  Under certain  circumstances, including termination  of employment upon
retirement, disability or death, the option may be exercised during an  extended
period.
 
    In  connection with the Restructuring, all options to purchase shares of ADS
and CDI were exchanged for options to purchase shares of Common Stock under  the
Plan.
 
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
    Messrs.  Stoller  and  Flamm  are  officers  of  Charterhouse  Environmental
Capital, an affiliate of Charterhouse,  which has been providing management  and
consulting  services to the Company since 1993. These services include: services
relating to the  Company's banking and  other financial relationships  including
assistance  in  connection  with  the  financing  and  refinancing  of corporate
indebtedness; analysis  and assistance  from both  a financial  and  operational
standpoint   in  connection  with  the   expansion  of  the  Company's  business
operations;  assistance  with   strategic  planning;  and   advice  related   to
acquisitions.  Fees paid  by the  Company to  Charterhouse Environmental Capital
were $314,000 in 1993, $515,000 in  1994 and $659,000 in 1995. These  management
and  consulting  services will  be terminated  effective at  the closing  of the
Offering. See, however, "Management -- Employment Agreements."
 
    On November 16, 1995, the  Company borrowed $12.5 million from  Charterhouse
Equity  Partners  II, L.P.  See "Principal  Stockholders."  The loan  matures on
November 15, 1996 and bears interest at a rate per annum equal to the prime rate
plus 3%.  The  Company repaid  this  loan in  June  1996 with  $7.5  million  of
borrowings  under the Credit Facility and  the remaining $5.0 million was repaid
with existing  cash.  See "Management's  Discussion  and Analysis  of  Financial
Condition and Results of Operations -- Liquidity and Capital Resources."
 
    Effective  as of January  1, 1996, the Company  entered into agreements with
each of its executive officers providing  that, upon such officer's exercise  of
stock  options granted  in exchange for  options previously granted  by CDI, the
Company will pay to  such officer an  amount equal to  the tax savings  actually
recognized  by the Company  as a result  of the deductions  attributable to such
exercise. In no event  can the payment  to be received  by an executive  officer
under  such  agreement  exceed the  difference  between the  federal  income tax
actually paid by such officer as a result of such option exercise and the amount
of federal income tax that would have been paid by such officer had such  option
exercise been taxed at the capital gains rate.
 
    All  future  transactions,  including  loans, between  the  Company  and its
officers, directors, principal stockholders or their affiliates will be  subject
to  approval  of  a  majority  of  the  independent  and  disinterested  outside
directors, and will be on terms no  less favorable to the Company than could  be
obtained from unaffiliated third parties.
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
                             PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
 
    The   following  table  sets  forth  certain  information  with  respect  to
beneficial ownership of the Common Stock as  of May 31, 1996 and as adjusted  to
reflect  the sale of the Common Stock  offered hereby, by: (i) each person known
by the Company  to be  the beneficial  owner of more  than 5%  of the  Company's
Common  Stock; (ii) each  of the Company's directors;  (iii) the Company's Chief
Executive Officer and each of the  Company's other executive officers; and  (iv)
the Company's directors and executive officers as a group.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              PERCENTAGE OWNERSHIP (1)
                                                                 NUMBER OF
                                                                  SHARES     --------------------------
                                                                BENEFICIALLY   PRIOR TO       AFTER
            NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNERS                  OWNED       OFFERING      OFFERING
- - --------------------------------------------------------------  -----------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                             <C>          <C>           <C>
Charterhouse Environmental Holdings, L.L.C. (2)...............   1,867,289         32.9%         22.2%
Charterhouse Equity Partners II, L.P. (3).....................   2,511,973         44.2%         29.8%
CDI Equity, LLC (4)...........................................     644,109         11.3%          7.6%
David C. Stoller (5)..........................................      60,271          1.1%        *
Richard De Young (5)(6).......................................      38,540        *             *
Scott H. Flamm (5)............................................      23,764        *             *
Merril M. Halpern (7).........................................      --            --            --
A. Lawrence Fagan (7).........................................      --            --            --
Richard T. Henshaw, III (7)...................................      --            --            --
G.T. Blankenship (8)..........................................     100,935          1.8%          1.2%
Norman Steisel................................................      --            --            --
Richard Kogler (5)............................................       1,177        *             *
Ann L. Straw (5)..............................................         777        *             *
John J. McDonnell (5)(9)......................................      13,441        *             *
Lawrence R. Conrath (5)(10)...................................       5,264        *             *
All directors and executive officers as a group (12 persons)
 (5)..........................................................     244,169          4.3%          2.9%
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
 *  Less than one percent.
 
 (1)Assumes  no exercise of the  Underwriters' over-allotment option to purchase
    up to  412,500 additional  shares  of Common  Stock  from the  Company.  See
    "Underwriting."
 
 (2)The   address  of  Charterhouse  Environmental  Holdings,  L.L.C.  ("Charter
    Environmental") is c/o Charterhouse  Group International, Inc., 535  Madison
    Avenue, New York, New York 10022. Charterhouse Equity Partners, L.P. ("CEP")
    and  StollerCo  Partners,  L.P.  ("StollerCo") are  the  members  of Charter
    Environmental, with a majority of the ownership interests being held by CEP.
    The general partner of  CEP is CHUSA Equity  Investors, L.P., whose  general
    partner   is  Charterhouse  Equity,  Inc.,   a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of
    Charterhouse. As a  result of  the foregoing, all  of the  shares of  Common
    Stock  held by Charter Environmental would, for purposes of Section 13(d) of
    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, be considered to be beneficially  owned
    by  Charterhouse. Messrs.  Stoller and Flamm  are partners  of StollerCo and
    disclaim beneficial ownership of  shares of Common Stock  held of record  by
    Charter Environmental.
 
 (3)The  address  of Charterhouse  Equity Partners  II, L.P.  ("CEP II")  is c/o
    Charterhouse Group International,  Inc., 535 Madison  Avenue, New York,  New
    York  10022. The  general partner  of CEP II  is CHUSA  Equity Investors II,
    L.P., whose general partner is Charterhouse Equity II, Inc., a  wholly-owned
    subsidiary  of Charterhouse. As a result of the foregoing, all of the shares
    of Common Stock held by CEP II  would, for purposes of Section 13(d) of  the
    Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, be  considered to be beneficially owned by
    Charterhouse.
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
 (4)The address  of CDI  Equity, LLC  is c/o  Aetna Life  and Casualty  Company,
    Conveyor  IG6U,  151  Farmington Avenue,  Hartford,  Connecticut  06156. The
    member interests in CDI Equity, LLC are  held as follows: 99% by Aetna  Life
    Insurance  Company, which  is a  wholly-owned subsidiary  of Aetna  Life and
    Casualty Company, and 1% by CDI  Equity, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary  of
    Aetna Life Insurance Company.
 
 (5)Includes  options exercisable  within 60  days of  May 31,  1996 to purchase
    57,804, 36,073, 22,232, 1,177,  12,446, 4,767 and  777 shares granted  under
    the  American  Disposal Services,  Inc. 1996  Stock  Option Plan  to Messrs.
    Stoller, De  Young, Flamm,  Kogler,  McDonnell and  Conrath and  Ms.  Straw,
    respectively. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding shares
    beneficially  held by each person or group of persons named above on a given
    date, any security  which such person  or persons has  the right to  acquire
    within  60 days after such  date is deemed to  be beneficially owned for the
    purpose of computing the percentage ownership of such person or persons, but
    is not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the  percentage
    ownership of any person.
 
 (6)Includes 2,467 shares held jointly by Mr. De Young and his wife.
 
 (7)Merril  M. Halpern and  A. Lawrence Fagan  are executive officers, directors
    and stockholders of Charterhouse and Richard T. Henshaw, III is an executive
    officer of Charterhouse.  Messrs. Halpern, Fagan  and Henshaw each  disclaim
    beneficial  ownership of  the shares of  Common Stock  beneficially owned by
    Charterhouse.
 
 (8) Includes  7,995  shares  held  by Mr.  Blankenship's  wife,  of  which  Mr.
    Blankenship disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
 (9) Includes 996 shares held by Mr. McDonnell's minor children.
 
(10) Includes 498 shares held jointly by Mr. Conrath and his wife.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
    The  Company's  authorized capital  stock consists  of 20,000,000  shares of
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock,
par value $.01 per share, (the "Preferred Stock"). The discussions of the Common
Stock and Preferred Stock here and elsewhere in this Prospectus are qualified in
their entirety by  reference to:  (i) the  Certificate of  Incorporation of  the
Company,  as  amended, a  copy of  which has  been  filed as  an exhibit  to the
Registration Statement  of  which  this  Prospectus is  a  part;  and  (ii)  the
applicable Delaware law.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
    Holders  of Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all
matters submitted to a  vote of stockholders and  do not have cumulative  voting
rights.  Stockholders casting a plurality of  votes of the stockholders entitled
to vote in an election of directors may elect all of the directors standing  for
election.  Holders  of  Common  Stock  are  entitled  to  receive  ratably  such
dividends, if any, as  may be declared  by the Board of  Directors out of  funds
legally  available  therefor, subject  to  any preferential  dividend  rights of
Preferred Stock  that may  be issued  at such  future time  or times.  Upon  the
liquidation,  dissolution or  winding up of  the Company, the  holders of Common
Stock are entitled to receive  ratably the net assets  of the Company after  the
payment  of all debts and  other liabilities and subject  to the prior rights of
Preferred Stock that may  be outstanding at such  time. Holders of Common  Stock
have   no  preemptive,  subscription,  redemption   or  conversion  rights.  The
outstanding shares of Common Stock are,  and the shares of Common Stock  offered
by the Company in the Offering will be, when issued and paid for, fully paid and
nonassessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of Common Stock
are  subject to the rights  of the holders of shares  of any series of Preferred
Stock which the Company may designate and issue in the future.
 
    As of May 31, 1996, there were 5,676,901 shares of Common Stock  outstanding
and  held of record by approximately 65  stockholders after giving effect to the
Restructuring. After giving effect  to the issuance of  the 2,750,000 shares  of
Common  Stock  offered  by  the  Company hereby  (assuming  no  exercise  of the
Underwriters' over-allotment option), there will  be 8,426,901 shares of  Common
Stock outstanding upon the closing of the Offering.
 
UNDESIGNATED PREFERRED STOCK
 
    The  Company's Certificate  of Incorporation authorizes  5,000,000 shares of
Preferred Stock. The Board of Directors has the authority to issue the Preferred
Stock in one or more series and  to fix the rights, preferences, privileges  and
restrictions  thereof,  including  dividend  rights,  conversion  rights, voting
rights, terms of redemption, redemption prices, liquidation preferences and  the
number  of shares  constituting any  series or  the designation  of such series,
without further vote or  action by the stockholders.  The issuance of  Preferred
Stock  may have  the effect  of delaying,  deferring or  preventing a  change in
control of  the Company  without  further action  by  the stockholders  and  may
adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of Common Stock. The
issuance  of Preferred  Stock with  voting and  conversion rights  may adversely
affect the voting power of  the holders of Common  Stock, including the loss  of
voting  control of others. At present, the Company  has no plans to issue any of
the Preferred Stock.
 
DELAWARE ANTI-TAKEOVER LAW AND CERTAIN CHARTER PROVISIONS
 
    The Company is subject  to Section 203 of  the Delaware General  Corporation
Law  ("Section 203") which, subject to  certain exceptions, prohibits a Delaware
corporation from  engaging  in  any business  combination  with  any  interested
stockholder for a period of three years following the date that such stockholder
became  an interested stockholder, unless: (i) prior  to such date, the board of
directors of the  corporation approved  either the business  combination or  the
transaction   which  resulted   in  the   stockholder  becoming   an  interested
stockholder; (ii) upon  consummation of  the transaction which  resulted in  the
stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned
at  least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the
transaction commenced  (for the  purposes of  determining the  number of  shares
outstanding,  under  Delaware law,  those shares  owned (x)  by persons  who are
directors and also officers  and (y) by employee  stock plans in which  employee
participants  do not have  the right to  determine confidentially whether shares
held subject to  the plan will  be tendered in  a tender or  exchange offer  are
excluded  from the  calculation); or  (iii) on or  subsequent to  such date, the
business
 
                                       47
<PAGE>
combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or
special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the  affirmative
vote  of at least 66 2/3% of the  outstanding voting stock which is not owned by
the interested stockholder.
 
    Section 203 defines  a business combination  to include: (i)  any merger  or
consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; (ii) any
sale,  transfer, pledge or other disposition of 10% or more of the assets of the
corporation involving  the  interested  stockholder; (iii)  subject  to  certain
exceptions,  any transaction  which results in  the issuance or  transfer by the
corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;  (iv)
any transaction involving the corporation which has the effect of increasing the
proportionate  share of  the stock  of any  class or  series of  the corporation
beneficially owned by  the interested  stockholder; or  (v) the  receipt by  the
interested  stockholder  of  the  benefit of  any  loans,  advances, guarantees,
pledges or other financial benefits provided  by or through the corporation.  In
general,  Section 203 defines an interested  stockholder as any entity or person
beneficially owning  15%  or  more  of  the  outstanding  voting  stock  of  the
corporation  and  any  entity  or  person  affiliated  with  or  controlling  or
controlled by such entity or person.
 
    Certain  provisions  of  the  Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  and
Delaware  law may have a significant effect in delaying, deferring or preventing
a change in control of the Company and may adversely affect the voting and other
rights of other holders of Common Stock. In particular, the ability of the Board
of Directors to issue Preferred  Stock without further stockholder approval  may
have  the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of the
Company and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of other holders of
Common Stock.
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
 
    After the Offering,  the holders  of 5,032,861  shares of  Common Stock  and
warrants  to purchase 215,455 shares of Common Stock will be entitled to certain
rights with respect to the registration of such shares under the Securities Act.
Under the terms of the  agreements between the Company  and the holders of  such
registrable  securities,  if  the  Company  proposes  to  register  any  of  its
securities under  the Securities  Act, either  for its  own account  or for  the
account  of other security holders  exercising registration rights, such holders
are entitled to notice of such  registration and are entitled to include  shares
of  such Common  Stock therein. The  holders of such  registrable securities may
also require  the Company  on  two separate  occasions  to file  a  registration
statement  under the  Securities Act  at the  Company's expense  with respect to
their shares of Common Stock,  and the Company is  required to use its  diligent
reasonable  efforts to  effect such  registration. These  rights are  subject to
certain conditions and limitations, among them the right of the underwriters  of
an offering to limit the number of shares included in such registration.
 
TRANSFER AGENT
 
    The  Transfer Agent for the Common Stock is the Continental Stock Transfer &
Trust Company, 2  Broadway, New York,  New York 10004.  Its telephone number  is
(212) 509-4000.
 
                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Prior to the Offering, there has been no market for the Common Stock. Future
sales  of  substantial  amounts  of  Common Stock  in  the  public  market could
adversely affect prevailing market prices.
 
    Upon completion  of  the  Offering,  the  Company  will  have  approximately
8,426,901  shares  of  Common Stock  outstanding  (assuming no  exercise  of the
Underwriters' overallotment option). Of these shares, the 2,750,000 shares  sold
in  the Offering will be freely transferable without restriction or registration
under the  Securities  Act, except  for  any  shares purchased  by  an  existing
"affiliate"  of the Company, as  that term is defined  by the Securities Act (an
"Affiliate"), which shares will be subject to the resale limitations of Rule 144
adopted under the Securities Act.
 
    After the Offering,  the holders of  5,032,861 shares of  Common Stock,  and
warrants to purchase 215,455 shares of Common Stock, will be entitled to certain
rights with respect to the registration of such shares under the Securities Act.
See  "Description of Capital Stock -- Registration Rights." Registration of such
 
                                       48
<PAGE>
shares under the  Securities Act  would result  in such  shares becoming  freely
tradeable  without  restriction  under  the Securities  Act  (except  for shares
purchased  by   Affiliates)  immediately   upon   the  effectiveness   of   such
registration.
 
    The  Company's  officers and  directors and  holders  of 5%  or more  of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock prior  to the Offering, who beneficially  own
an  aggregate of  5,888,279 shares  of Common  Stock or  options or  warrants to
purchase shares of  Common Stock, have  agreed not to  offer, sell, contract  to
sell or grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of such securities for
180 days after the date of this Prospectus, without the prior written consent of
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. Additionally, the Company has agreed not to offer, sell,
contract  to sell  or otherwise  dispose of  any shares  of Common  Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable  or exchangeable for Common Stock  or
any  rights to acquire Common Stock for a period 180 days after the date of this
Prospectus, without  the  prior written  consent  of Oppenheimer  &  Co.,  Inc.,
subject to certain limited exceptions.
 
    In  general, under Rule 144 as currently  in effect, beginning 90 days after
the Offering, a person (or person  whose shares are aggregated) who owns  shares
that  were purchased  from the  Company (or  any Affiliate)  at least  two years
previously, including persons who  may be deemed Affiliates  of the Company,  is
entitled  to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not
exceed the greater of 1% of the then outstanding shares of the Company's  Common
Stock  or the average weekly trading volume of the Company's Common Stock in the
Nasdaq National Market  during the  four calendar  weeks preceding  the date  on
which  notice of the sale  is filed with the  Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"). Sales under Rule 144  are also subject to certain manner  of
sale  provisions,  notice requirements  and the  availability of  current public
information  about  the  Company.  Any  person  (or  persons  whose  shares  are
aggregated)  who is not deemed  to have been an Affiliate  of the Company at any
time during  the 90  days  preceding a  sale, and  who  owns shares  within  the
definition  of "restricted securities"  under Rule 144  under the Securities Act
that were purchased  from the Company  (or any Affiliate)  at least three  years
previously,  would be  entitled to  sell such  shares under  Rule 144(k) without
regard to the volume limitations, manner of sale provisions, public  information
requirements or notice requirements. It is anticipated that after the expiration
of such 90 day period no shares of Common Stock will be immediately eligible for
sale under Rule 144.
 
    The  Company intends to  file a registration  statement under the Securities
Act covering approximately 1,100,000 shares  of Common Stock issued or  reserved
for  issuance under the Plan.  See "Management -- 1996  Stock Option Plan." Such
registration statement is  expected to be  filed prior  to the end  of the  1996
calendar  year and will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly,
shares registered under such registration  statement pursuant to the Plan  will,
subject  to Rule 144  volume limitations applicable  to Affiliates, be available
for sale in the open market, except  to the extent that such shares are  subject
to  vesting restrictions.  At May 31,  1996, options to  purchase 869,615 shares
were issued and outstanding under the Plan.
 
                                       49
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Subject to  the terms  and  conditions of  the Underwriting  Agreement,  the
Company  has agreed to sell to each of the Underwriters named below, and each of
the Underwriters,  for  whom  Oppenheimer  &  Co.,  Inc.  and  CS  First  Boston
Corporation are acting as Representatives, has severally agreed to purchase from
the  Company, the respective number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter below:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            NUMBER OF
                                                                                            SHARES OF
UNDERWRITER                                                                                COMMON STOCK
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  --------------
<S>                                                                                       <C>
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc..................................................................        635,000
CS First Boston Corporation.............................................................        635,000
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.................................................................         80,000
Deutsche Morgan Grenfell/C.J. Lawrence Inc..............................................         80,000
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation.....................................         80,000
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc................................................................         80,000
Goldman, Sachs & Co.....................................................................         80,000
Lehman Brothers Inc.....................................................................         80,000
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated......................................         80,000
NatWest Securities Corporation..........................................................         80,000
PaineWebber Incorporated................................................................         80,000
Prudential Securities Incorporated......................................................         80,000
Salomon Brothers Inc....................................................................         80,000
Smith Barney Inc........................................................................         80,000
Advest, Inc.............................................................................         40,000
The Chicago Corporation.................................................................         40,000
Cleary, Gull, Reiland & McDevitt Inc....................................................         40,000
Fahnestock & Co. Inc....................................................................         40,000
Gruntal & Co., Incorporated.............................................................         40,000
Janney Montgomery Scott Inc.............................................................         40,000
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc............................................................         40,000
Parker/Hunter Incorporated..............................................................         40,000
Pennsylvania Merchant Group Ltd.........................................................         40,000
Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc............................................................         40,000
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.........................................................         40,000
Van Kasper & Company....................................................................         40,000
H.G. Wellington & Co. Inc...............................................................         40,000
                                                                                          --------------
  Total.................................................................................      2,750,000
                                                                                          --------------
                                                                                          --------------
</TABLE>
    
 
   
    The Underwriters propose to offer the shares of Common Stock directly to the
public initially at the  public offering price  set forth on  the cover page  of
this  Prospectus and in part to certain  securities dealers at such price less a
concession of $0.35 per share. The Underwriters may allow, and such dealers  may
reallow,  a concession not in  excess of $0.10 per  share to certain brokers and
dealers. After the shares of Common Stock  are released for sale to the  public,
the  offering price and other selling terms may  from time to time be changed by
the Representatives. The Underwriters are obligated  to take and pay for all  of
the  shares of  Common Stock  offered hereby  (other than  those covered  by the
over-allotment option described below) if any are taken.
    
 
    The Company has granted the Underwriters an option, exercisable for up to 30
days after  the date  of this  Prospectus, to  purchase up  to an  aggregate  of
412,500  additional shares of Common Stock  to cover over-allotments, if any. If
the Underwriters exercise such option,  the Underwriters have severally  agreed,
subject  to certain  conditions, to  purchase approximately  the same percentage
thereof that the number of  shares to be purchased by  each of them as shown  in
the  foregoing  table bears  to  the 2,750,000  shares  of Common  Stock offered
hereby. The Underwriters may exercise such option only to cover  over-allotments
made in
 
                                       50
<PAGE>
connection  with the  sale of  the shares  of Common  Stock offered  hereby. The
Representatives have advised the Company that the Underwriters do not intend  to
confirm  sales in excess of 5% of the  shares offered hereby to any account over
which they exercise discretionary authority.
 
    The Company has agreed to indemnify the representatives of the  Underwriters
and  the several  Underwriters against  certain liabilities,  including, without
limitation liabilities under the Securities Act.
 
    The Company's  officers and  directors and  holders  of 5%  or more  of  the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock prior  to the Offering, who beneficially own
an aggregate  of 5,888,279  shares of  Common Stock  or options  or warrants  to
purchase  shares of Common  Stock, have agreed  not to offer,  sell, contract to
sell, pledge  or grant  any option  to  purchase or  otherwise dispose  of  such
securities  for 180  days after  the date of  this Prospectus  without the prior
written consent of Oppenheimer &  Co., Inc. The Company  has also agreed not  to
offer,  sell, contract  to sell,  or otherwise dispose  of any  shares of Common
Stock or  any securities  convertible into  or exercisable  or exchangeable  for
Common  Stock or any rights to acquire  Common Stock (other than shares issuable
upon exercise of  outstanding options  and warrants) for  a period  of 180  days
after  the  date  of  this  Prospectus, without  the  prior  written  consent of
Oppenheimer &  Co., Inc.,  subject to  certain limited  exceptions. See  "Shares
Eligible for Future Sale."
 
   
    Prior  to the Offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock
of the  Company.  Consequently,  the  initial public  offering  price  has  been
determined  by negotiations between  the Company and  the Representatives. Among
the factors considered in such  negotiations were prevailing market  conditions,
the  results  of  operations  of  the  Company  in  recent  periods,  the market
capitalizations and stages of development  of other companies which the  Company
and  the Representatives believe  to be comparable to  the Company, estimates of
the business  potential of  the  Company, the  present  state of  the  Company's
development and other factors deemed relevant by the Representatives.
    
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
    The  legality of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by Proskauer Rose Goetz &  Mendelsohn LLP, 1585 Broadway, New York,  New
York  10036. Certain legal matters  will be passed upon  for the Underwriters by
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 101 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10178.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The consolidated financial statements  of the Company  at December 31,  1994
and  1995 and for each of  the two years in the  period ended December 31, 1995,
appearing in  this  Prospectus and  the  Registration Statement  of  which  this
Prospectus  forms a  part have  been audited by  Ernst &  Young LLP, independent
auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein and in
the Registration Statement, and are included in reliance upon such report  given
upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
    The  consolidated statements  of operations,  stockholders' equity  and cash
flows of the Company for  the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1993, included  in
this Prospectus and elsewhere in the Registration Statement have been audited by
Arthur  Andersen  LLP, independent  public  accountants, as  indicated  in their
reports with  respect thereto,  and are  included herein  in reliance  upon  the
authority  of said  firm as  experts in accounting  and auditing  in giving said
reports.
 
    In 1994 the Company appointed Ernst  & Young LLP to replace Arthur  Andersen
LLP  as its  principal accountants.  The Company  dismissed Arthur  Andersen LLP
during 1994. The reports of Arthur Andersen LLP on the 1993 financial statements
of the Company did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion,  nor
were  they qualified  or modified as  to uncertainty, audit  scope or accounting
principles. The decision  to change  accountants was approved  by the  Company's
Board  of Directors.  There were  no disagreements  with the  former accountants
during the two fiscal years preceding their replacement or during the subsequent
interim  period  preceding  their  replacement  on  any  matter  of   accounting
principles or
 
                                       51
<PAGE>
practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedures, which
disagreements,  if not resolved  to the former  accountants' satisfaction, would
have caused them to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement  in
connection with their reports.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    The  Company has filed with the  Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-1 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act with respect to  the
Common  Stock offered hereby. This Prospectus, which is part of the Registration
Statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration
Statement and the  exhibits and schedules  thereto, certain items  of which  are
omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further
information  with respect  to the Company  and the Common  Stock offered hereby,
reference is made to the Registration Statement and to the financial statements,
schedules, and exhibits  filed as  a part thereof.  The Registration  Statement,
including all schedules and exhibits thereto, may be inspected without charge at
the  public reference facilities  maintained by the  Commission at its principal
office at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth  Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. and at  the
Commission's regional offices at 7 World Trade Center, 13th floor, New York, New
York  and 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois. Copies of such
material may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission  at
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 at prescribed rates.
 
    Statements  contained  in this  Prospectus  concerning the  contents  of any
contract or other document are not  necessarily complete and, in each  instance,
reference  is made to  the copy of such  contract or other  document filed as an
exhibit to the  Registration Statement  or otherwise with  the Commission,  each
such  statement being qualified  in all respects by  such reference. The Company
believes that  all  material  elements  of  such  contracts  and  documents  are
described in this Prospectus.
 
                                       52
<PAGE>
                         INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               PAGE
                                                                                                             ---------
<S>                                                                                                          <C>
AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES:
  CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
  Report of Independent Auditors...........................................................................     F-2
  Report of Independent Accountants........................................................................     F-3
  Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1995 and 1994................................................     F-4
  Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 1995,
   1994 and 1993...........................................................................................     F-5
  Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31,
   1995, 1994 and 1993.....................................................................................     F-6
  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 1995, 1994 and 1993...............     F-7
  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...............................................................     F-8
 
  UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
  Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 1996...................................................    F-18
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 1996 and 1995.......    F-19
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 1996 and 1995.......    F-20
  Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.....................................................    F-21
 
  UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
  Pro Forma Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 1995......................    F-23
 
ACQUIRED COMPANIES (CDI ACQUISITION):
  ENVIRITE CORPORATION, MSG FACILITIES
  Report of Independent Auditors...........................................................................    F-25
  Statements of Net Assets Acquired at December 31, 1994 and January 1, 1994...............................    F-26
  Statements of Revenue and Direct Operating Expenses for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1994 and
   January 1, 1994.........................................................................................    F-27
  Notes to Financial Statements............................................................................    F-28
 
  Report of Independent Auditors...........................................................................    F-31
  Statement of Revenue and Direct Operating Expenses for the period ended November 15, 1995................    F-32
  Notes to Financial Statements............................................................................    F-33
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors
American Disposal Services, Inc.
 
    We  have audited  the accompanying  consolidated balance  sheets of American
Disposal Services,  Inc. as  of December  31,  1995 and  1994, and  the  related
consolidated  statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for
the years then ended. These financial  statements are the responsibility of  the
Company's  management.  Our responsibility  is to  express  an opinion  on these
financial statements based on our audits.
 
    We conducted  our  audits in  accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence  supporting
the  amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles used  and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In our opinion,  the 1995 and  1994 financial statements  referred to  above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
American  Disposal Services,  Inc. as  of December  31, 1995  and 1994,  and the
consolidated results of  its operations and  its cash flows  for the years  then
ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
March 22, 1996 , except as to Note 10 for
which the date is May 30, 1996
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                       REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
To the Stockholders of
American Disposal Services, Inc.:
 
    We  have  audited the  accompanying  consolidated statements  of operations,
stockholders' equity  and cash  flows of  American Disposal  Services, Inc.  and
subsidiaries  for the year  ended December 31,  1993. These financial statements
are the responsibility  of the  Company's management. Our  responsibility is  to
express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
 
    We  conducted  our  audit  in accordance  with  generally  accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also  includes
assessing  the  accounting principles  used  and significant  estimates  made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement  presentation.
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    In  our opinion, the financial statements  referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the results  of operations and cash flows of  American
Disposal  Services, Inc. and subsidiaries for  the year ended December 31, 1993,
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
April 15, 1994
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                             ---------------------
                                                                                                1995       1994
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
<S>                                                                                          <C>         <C>
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents................................................................  $    6,383  $     548
  Cash held in escrow......................................................................         156        191
  Trade receivables -- Net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $476 and $408.............       6,331      2,560
  Prepaid expenses.........................................................................         686         97
  Inventory................................................................................         312        184
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
Total current assets.......................................................................      13,868      3,580
Property and equipment, net................................................................      81,250     17,062
Other assets:
  Cost over fair value of net assets of acquired businesses, net of accumulated
   amortization of $823 and $451...........................................................      15,739     13,569
  Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $305 and $455................       1,081      1,435
  Debt issuance costs, net of accumulated amortization of $71 and $234.....................         815      1,002
  Other....................................................................................       1,940        909
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
                                                                                             $  114,693  $  37,557
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
 
                                       LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
  Note payable to stockholder..............................................................  $   12,500  $      --
  Accounts payable.........................................................................       3,185        881
  Accrued liabilities......................................................................       2,360      1,440
  Deferred revenues........................................................................       1,202        948
  Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations..........................       3,440      2,548
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
Total current liabilities..................................................................      22,687      5,817
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current portion.......................      48,789     18,487
Accrued environmental and landfill costs...................................................       6,214      1,121
Deferred income taxes......................................................................       1,240         --
Redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary...................................................       1,908         --
Stockholders' equity:
  Common stock, $.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized; shares issued and
   outstanding; 1995 -- 5,676,901; 1994 -- 2,382,345.......................................          57         24
  Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding
   in 1995 and 1994........................................................................          --         --
  Warrants outstanding.....................................................................         107        107
  Additional paid-in capital...............................................................      41,590     16,157
  Accumulated deficit......................................................................      (7,899)    (4,156)
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
                                                                                                 33,855     12,132
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
                                                                                             $  114,693  $  37,557
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
                                                                                             ----------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                  YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                          ----------------------------------------
                                                                              1995          1994          1993
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                       <C>           <C>           <C>
Revenues................................................................  $     30,004  $     18,517  $      7,730
Cost of operations......................................................        17,286        12,647         5,750
Selling, general, and administrative expenses...........................         5,882         4,910         1,646
Depreciation and amortization...........................................         6,308         3,226         1,166
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
Operating income (loss).................................................           528        (2,266)         (832)
Interest expense........................................................        (3,030)       (1,497)         (417)
Interest income.........................................................           189             2            35
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
Loss before income taxes and extraordinary item.........................        (2,313)       (3,761)       (1,214)
Income tax benefit (expense)............................................          (332)        1,372           391
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
Loss before extraordinary item..........................................        (2,645)       (2,389)         (823)
Extraordinary item -- Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt...........          (908)           --            74
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
Net loss................................................................        (3,553)       (2,389)         (749)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary......................          (190)           --            --
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
Net loss applicable to common stockholders..............................  $     (3,743) $     (2,389) $       (749)
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
 
Per common share:
  Loss before extraordinary item........................................  $       (.80) $       (.99) $       (.58)
  Extraordinary item....................................................          (.26)           --           .05
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
  Net loss..............................................................  $      (1.06) $       (.99) $       (.53)
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
 
Weighted average common stock and common stock equivalent shares
 outstanding............................................................     3,527,688     2,411,381     1,406,219
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                                          ------------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
    
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            COMMON STOCK                       ADDITIONAL                    TOTAL
                                       -----------------------    WARRANTS       PAID-IN    ACCUMULATED   STOCKHOLDERS'
                                         SHARES      AMOUNT      OUTSTANDING     CAPITAL      DEFICIT        EQUITY
                                       ----------  -----------  -------------  -----------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                    <C>         <C>          <C>            <C>          <C>           <C>
Balance -- December 31, 1992.........     212,288   $       2     $      --     $   1,105    $   (1,018)   $       89
Issuance of common stock, net of
 issuance costs......................   1,887,664          19            --        13,065            --        13,084
Issuance of common stock warrants....          --          --           107            --            --           107
Net loss.............................          --          --            --            --          (749)         (749)
                                       ----------         ---         -----    -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance -- December 31, 1993.........   2,099,952          21           107        14,170        (1,767)       12,531
Issuance of common stock, net of
 issuance costs......................     282,393           3            --         1,987            --         1,990
Net loss.............................          --          --            --            --        (2,389)       (2,389)
                                       ----------         ---         -----    -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance -- December 31, 1994.........   2,382,345          24           107        16,157        (4,156)       12,132
Issuance of common stock, net of
 issuance costs......................   3,294,556          33            --        25,433            --        25,466
Net loss.............................          --          --            --            --        (3,553)       (3,553)
Dividends on preferred stock of
 subsidiary..........................          --          --            --            --          (190)         (190)
                                       ----------         ---         -----    -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance -- December 31, 1995.........   5,676,901   $      57     $     107     $  41,590    $   (7,899)   $   33,855
                                       ----------         ---         -----    -----------  ------------  ------------
                                       ----------         ---         -----    -----------  ------------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                                                  ---------------------------------
                                                                                     1995       1994        1993
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
<S>                                                                               <C>         <C>        <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net loss........................................................................  $   (3,553) $  (2,389) $     (749)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating
 activities:
  Extraordinary item, net.......................................................         908         --         (74)
  Depreciation and amortization.................................................       6,308      3,226       1,166
  Provision for environmental and landfill costs................................         292         48          39
  Deferred income taxes.........................................................          47     (1,372)       (391)
  Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
    Trade receivables...........................................................        (340)      (625)     (1,714)
    Prepaid expenses, cash held in escrow and other assets......................         (33)      (361)       (560)
    Inventory...................................................................        (128)       (96)        (68)
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities....................................       1,846        235       1,226
    Deferred revenue............................................................         254        210         737
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities.............................       5,601     (1,124)       (388)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures............................................................      (6,173)    (5,600)     (5,592)
Cost of acquisitions............................................................     (62,201)      (580)    (17,469)
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Net cash used in investing activities...........................................     (68,374)    (6,180)    (23,061)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock.....................................      25,466      1,990      12,885
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred stock of subsidiary.....................       1,908         --          --
Preferred stock dividend requirements of subsidiary.............................        (190)        --          --
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt........................................      45,068      6,319      19,836
Repayments of indebtedness......................................................      (2,698)    (2,511)     (6,301)
Debt issuance costs.............................................................        (946)       (80)       (849)
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Net cash provided by financing activities.......................................      68,608      5,718      25,571
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents............................       5,835     (1,586)      2,122
Cash and cash equivalents, at beginning of year.................................         548      2,134          12
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year........................................  $    6,383  $     548  $    2,134
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
                                                                                  ----------  ---------  ----------
Supplemental cash flow information:
  Cash paid for interest........................................................  $    2,515  $   1,426  $      331
  Cash paid for income taxes....................................................         478         --          --
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
1.  FORMATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
    ADS,  Inc. (ADS)  was organized January  15, 1991, to  acquire, develop, and
operate nonhazardous municipal  solid waste disposal,  collection, and  transfer
operations  and provide nonhazardous solid waste disposal management services to
commercial, industrial, and residential customers. During 1993, an affiliate  of
Charterhouse  Equity Partners,  L.P. (CEP)  purchased a  controlling interest in
ADS.
 
    County Disposal,  Inc.  (County)  was incorporated  by  Charterhouse  Equity
Partners  II,  L.P. (CEPII)  on April  27,  1995, for  the purpose  of acquiring
certain net  assets  of Envirite  Corporation  (Envirite). On  April  28,  1995,
Envirite  and County  entered into  an Asset  Purchase Agreement  whereby County
agreed  to  purchase  from  Envirite  certain  landfill  facilities  and   waste
transportation  and collection equipment located in Livingston County, Illinois,
and Wyandot County,  Ohio; all of  the issued and  outstanding capital stock  of
County  Environmental  Services, Inc.,  a  wholly-owned subsidiary  of Envirite,
which owned  and  operated a  landfill  facility and  waste  transportation  and
collection  equipment  located  in  Clarion  County,  Pennsylvania;  and certain
related assets and assumption of certain liabilities.
 
    Effective January  1, 1996,  the stockholders  of ADS  and County  exchanged
their  shares  for shares  of a  newly created  holding company  by the  name of
American Disposal  Services,  Inc.  (the  Company).  This  share  exchange  (the
Exchange)  qualifies  as  a  transfer  of  companies  under  common  control  as
affiliates of Charterhouse  Group International, Inc.  are the general  partners
and  in control  of CEP  and CEPII  and, accordingly,  the transaction  has been
accounted for at  historical cost in  a manner similar  to pooling of  interests
accounting.  The financial statements have been prepared as if this Exchange had
occurred as of December 31, 1992.
 
2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION
 
    The consolidated financial  statements include the  accounts of the  Company
and  its subsidiaries.  All significant  intercompany balances  and transactions
have been eliminated.
 
CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK
 
    Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to  concentration
of  credit risks  consist primarily of  trade receivables. Credit  risk on trade
receivables is minimized  as a result  of the  large and diverse  nature of  the
Company's  customer base. The Company maintains an allowance for losses based on
the expected  collectibility of  accounts receivable.  Credit losses  have  been
within management's expectations.
 
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
    Trade  receivables, trade payables, and debt obligations are carried at cost
which approximates fair value.
 
USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions that affect  the amounts  reported in the  financial statements  and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
 
    Cash  and cash  equivalents represent cash  in banks  and liquid investments
with original maturities of three months or less.
 
CASH HELD IN ESCROW
 
    Cash held  in  escrow represents  cash  held  in banks  restricted  to  fund
obligations incurred in acquiring businesses.
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
INVENTORY
 
    Inventory  is stated at  the lower of  cost (first in,  first out method) or
market and consists principally of equipment parts, materials, and supplies.
 
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Property and equipment are  recorded at cost.  Depreciation of equipment  is
computed  using the straight-line method over  the estimated useful lives of the
respective assets as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                    <C>
Vehicles and equipment...............  3 to 12 years
                                            25 to 30
Buildings............................          years
</TABLE>
 
    Expenditures for  major  renewals  are  capitalized,  and  expenditures  for
routine maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred.
 
    Capitalized  landfill  costs  include  expenditures  for  land  and  related
airspace, permitting  costs  and  preparation  costs.  Landfill  permitting  and
preparation  costs  represent only  direct  costs related  to  these activities,
including  legal,  engineering,  construction  of  landfill  improvements,  cell
development costs, and the direct costs of Company personnel dedicated for these
purposes.  Preparation  costs  for  individual secure  land  disposal  cells are
recorded in property and equipment and amortized as the airspace is filled.
 
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
 
    The cost over fair value of  net assets of acquired businesses is  amortized
on  the  straight-line  method  over  periods  not  exceeding  40  years.  Other
intangible assets, substantially all of which  are covenants not to compete  and
customer  lists, are amortized on the  straight-line method over their estimated
lives, typically no more  than 12 years. Amortization  expense for fiscal  years
1995,  1994, and 1993  related to intangible assets  was $1.4 million, $600,000,
and $345,000,  respectively. In  1995,  the Company  determined not  to  enforce
certain covenants not to compete which arose from 1993 transactions with the net
book value of such covenants of $505,000, fully written-off and included in 1995
amortization expense.
 
DEFERRED ACQUISITION COSTS
 
    The  Company capitalizes  engineering, legal,  accounting, and  other direct
costs paid to  outside parties that  are incurred in  connection with  potential
acquisitions.  The Company, however, routinely  evaluates such capitalized costs
and charges  to  expense those  relating  to abandoned  acquisition  candidates.
Indirect  acquisition  costs,  such  as  executive  salaries,  general corporate
overhead, and other corporate  services are expensed  as incurred. Net  deferred
acquisition  costs,  included  in other  intangible  assets,  were approximately
$370,000 and $379,000 at December 31, 1995 and 1994, respectively.
 
ACCRUED ENVIRONMENTAL AND LANDFILL COSTS
 
    Accrued environmental and landfill  costs represent landfill accruals  which
are  provided for  environmental compliance  costs and  closure and post-closure
costs. These accruals are based on accounting estimates by management determined
primarily  from  the  results  of   engineering  studies  and  reviews  and   on
interpretation  of  the  technical  standards  of  the  Environmental Protection
Agency's Subtitle  D regulations,  or the  approved state  counterpart, and  the
proposed  air emissions  standards under  the Clean  Air Act  as they  are being
applied on a state-by-state basis.  The Company typically provides accruals  for
these  costs as permitted  airspace of such facilities  is consumed. Closure and
post-closure monitoring and  maintenance costs  represent the  costs related  to
cash  expenditures yet to be incurred when  a landfill facility ceases to accept
waste and closes.  Certain of  these accrued environmental  and landfill  costs,
principally  capping, leachate collection  and removal, and  methane gas control
and recovery, are  operating and  maintenance costs  to be  incurred during  the
30-year  period after the facility closes,  but are accrued during the operating
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
life of  the site  in accordance  with the  landfill operation  requirements  of
Subtitle  D  and  the proposed  air  emissions standards.  An  environmental and
landfill cost accrual is provided as a liability assumed for purchased  landfill
operations  based on permitted  airspace consumed prior  to the acquisition date
and is included in the purchase price  allocation (see Note 3). The Company  has
estimated  that, as of  December 31, 1995,  post-closure expenses, including cap
maintenance, groundwater  monitoring,  methane  gas  control  and  recovery  and
leachate  treatment/disposal for up to 30  years after closure in certain cases,
will approximate $11.3 million. In addition, the Company has estimated that,  as
of December 31, 1995, closure costs expected to occur during the operating lives
of these facilities' useful lives will approximate $28.4 million. These accruals
are  reviewed  by  management  periodically and  revised  prospectively  for any
significant changes in future cost estimates.
 
INCOME TAXES
 
    Deferred tax  assets and  liabilities are  determined based  on  differences
between  financial reporting  and tax  bases of  assets and  liabilities and are
measured using the enacted tax  rates and laws that will  be in effect when  the
differences are expected to reverse.
 
DEFERRED REVENUES
 
    Revenues  billed  prior  to the  performance  of services  are  deferred and
recorded as income  in the period  in which the  related services are  rendered,
generally over a three-month period.
 
RECLASSIFICATIONS
 
    Certain  1994 and 1993 financial statement amounts have been reclassified to
conform with the 1995 presentation.
 
EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
    Earnings per share is based on  the weighted average number of common  stock
and  common stock equivalent shares outstanding during each year and incremental
shares from the assumed exercise of options and warrants granted within one year
of the initial public offering computed using the treasury stock method.
 
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
 
    The Company typically grants stock options  for a fixed number of shares  to
employees  with an exercise price  equal to the fair value  of the shares at the
date of grant. The Company accounts  for stock option grants in accordance  with
APB  No. 25, and, accordingly, typically  recognizes no compensation expense for
these stock option grants and intends to continue to do so.
 
3.  ACQUISITIONS
    As described in  Note 1, the  Company acquired three  landfills and a  waste
collection  operation (the Envirite  Acquisition) during 1995.  The Company also
acquired  three  waste  collection  operations  during  1994,  and  nine   waste
collection operations, a transfer station and a landfill during 1993.
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
3.  ACQUISITIONS (CONTINUED)
    The operating results of these businesses since the dates of acquisition are
included  in the  consolidated statements  of operations.  All of  the Company's
acquisitions were  accounted for  as purchases  and, accordingly,  the  purchase
prices  have been allocated to the net assets acquired based upon fair values at
the dates of acquisition with the  residual amounts allocated to cost over  fair
value  of net assets acquired.  The purchase prices allocated  to the net assets
acquired were as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    1995       1994       1993
                                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                               <C>        <C>        <C>
Property and equipment..........................................  $  62,288  $     580  $   9,837
Accounts receivable and inventory...............................      3,363         --         --
Other assets....................................................      1,664         --      1,995
Cost over fair value of net assets acquired.....................      3,060         --     12,003
Acquisition price financed by sellers...........................         --         --     (3,500)
Total liabilities assumed.......................................     (8,174)        --     (2,829)
                                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------
    Total cash paid.............................................  $  62,201  $     580  $  17,506
                                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                  ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    The pro forma unaudited results of  operations for the years ended  December
31,  1995 and  1994, assuming  the Envirite  Acquisition occurred  at January 1,
1994, were as follows (in thousands, except per share data):
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        1995          1994
                                                                    ------------  ------------
<S>                                                                 <C>           <C>
Revenues..........................................................  $     44,500  $     37,338
Operating loss....................................................          (276)       (5,009)
Net loss applicable to common stockholders........................        (6,788)       (8,367)
Pro forma loss per share of common stock..........................         (1.92)        (3.47)
Weighted average common stock and common stock equivalent shares
 outstanding......................................................     3,527,688     2,411,381
</TABLE>
    
 
4.  PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
    Property and equipment are summarized as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            DECEMBER 31,
                                                                       -----------------------
                                                                         1995         1994
                                                                       ---------  ------------
<S>                                                                    <C>        <C>
Land.................................................................  $   5,038   $      280
Landfills............................................................     66,529        8,382
Buildings............................................................      2,695          659
Vehicles and equipment...............................................     14,335       10,956
                                                                       ---------  ------------
                                                                          88,597       20,277
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization......................     (7,347)      (3,215)
                                                                       ---------  ------------
                                                                       $  81,250   $   17,062
                                                                       ---------  ------------
                                                                       ---------  ------------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
5.  OBLIGATIONS
    Obligations, which approximate  fair value,  are summarized  as follows  (in
thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              DECEMBER 31,
                                                                          --------------------
                                                                            1995       1994
                                                                          ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                       <C>        <C>
Long-term debt:
  Term loan, Bank of America............................................  $  20,000  $      --
  Revolving loan, Bank of America.......................................     10,847         --
  Term loan A, ING Capital Corporation..................................     12,525      9,300
  Term loan B, ING Capital Corporation..................................      4,000         --
  Acquisition loan, ING Capital Corporation.............................         --      8,573
  Revolving loan, ING Capital Corporation...............................      2,423      2,050
  Other long-term borrowings, with interest ranging from 7.0% to
   11.0%................................................................      1,285      1,003
Capital lease obligations:
  Capital lease obligations with interest and principal due monthly
   through 1999, at various interest rates ranging from 6.0% to 9.5%,
   secured by equipment.................................................      1,149        109
                                                                          ---------  ---------
                                                                             52,229     21,035
  Less: Current portion.................................................      3,440      2,548
                                                                          ---------  ---------
  Long-term obligations, net of current portion.........................  $  48,789  $  18,487
                                                                          ---------  ---------
                                                                          ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    On  September 21, 1995, County, a subsidiary  of the Company, entered into a
credit agreement with Bank of America that provides for borrowings of up to  $45
million  to  finance  acquisitions  and provide  working  capital.  The facility
consists of a $20 million term loan  and a $25 million revolving loan, which  is
currently  limited to $20  million until certain  earnings requirements are met.
The term loan bears a rate of  interest per annum based on the London  Interbank
Offered  Rate (LIBOR) plus  3.75% (9.1% at  December 31, 1995)  or the higher of
prime plus 1.25% (9.75%  at December 31,  1995) or the  Federal Funds Rate  plus
1.75% (7.5% at December 31, 1995) and is due in quarterly installments beginning
in December 1996 through September 2000. The revolving loan bears interest based
on  LIBOR plus  3.25% (8.6% at  December 31, 1995)  or the higher  of prime plus
0.75% (9.25% at December 31, 1995) or at the Federal Funds Rate plus 1.25% (7.0%
at December 31,  1995) and  matures on September  21, 1998.  The revolving  loan
provides  for commitment fees of  1/2% per annum on  the unused portions payable
monthly in arrears. The facility is  secured by substantially all of the  assets
of County. Under the terms of the credit agreement, County is subject to various
debt   covenants,  including   maintenance  of  certain   financial  ratios  and
restrictions on  additional indebtedness,  payment  of cash  dividends,  capital
expenditures,  rental obligations,  and asset dispositions.  In conjunction with
obtaining the credit agreement, the Company granted 97,575 warrants to  purchase
shares of common stock of the Company at $7.41 per share.
 
    On  October  13, 1995,  ADS, a  subsidiary of  the Company,  extinguished an
existing credit  agreement and  entered into  a new  credit agreement  with  the
Internationale  Nederlanden  (U.S.)  Capital  Corporation,  as  agent  (ING), to
provide for borrowings of up  to approximately $23 million.  As a result of  the
early  extinguishment  of  the  credit  agreement,  the  Company  recognized  an
extraordinary loss of $907,720  representing unamortized deferred debt  issuance
cost.  The facility consists of  a $12.5 million term  loan A, $4.0 million term
loan B, and a $6.4 million revolving loan. Term loan A bears a rate of  interest
per  annum based on the London Interbank  Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 3% (8.35% at
December 31, 1995), or the  higher of prime plus  1.50% (10.00% at December  31,
1995), or Federal Funds Rate plus 1.75% (7.50% at December 31, 1995), and is due
in quarterly installments through December 31, 2000. Term loan B bears a rate of
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
5.  OBLIGATIONS (CONTINUED)
interest  per annum based on  the higher of prime  plus 3.00% (11.5% at December
31, 1995) or Federal Funds  Rate plus 3.25% (9.00%  at December 31, 1995,  which
can be fixed at March 31, 1996, at the Company's option, and is due in quarterly
installments  beginning March 31, 1998 through  December 31, 2000. The revolving
loan bears interest at  the higher of  prime plus 1.25%  (9.75% at December  31,
1995), or Federal Funds Rate plus 1.5% (7.25% at December 31, 1995), and matures
on  December 31, 2000. The  revolving loans provide for  commitment fees of 1/2%
per annum on the unused portions payable monthly in arrears. The ING facility is
secured by substantially all of  the assets of ADS. Under  the terms of the  ING
credit   agreement,  ADS  is  subject   to  various  debt  covenants,  including
maintenance  of  certain  financial   ratios  and  restrictions  on   additional
indebtedness,   payment   of  cash   dividends,  capital   expenditures,  rental
obligations, and asset dispositions.
 
    Maturities of long-term  obligations (excluding  capital lease  obligations)
are as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                  <C>
1996...............................................................  $   2,929
1997...............................................................      6,252
1998...............................................................     18,613
1999...............................................................      8,386
2000 and thereafter................................................     14,900
                                                                     ---------
                                                                     $  51,080
                                                                     ---------
                                                                     ---------
</TABLE>
 
    At  December 31, 1995,  the Company had  outstanding a $12,500,000 unsecured
note payable to a stockholder, which was issued on November 16, 1995 and is  due
November  15, 1996, bearing an  annual interest rate of  prime plus 3% (11.5% at
December  31,  1995).  Interest  expense  relating  to  this  note  payable   of
approximately $180,000 was incurred in 1995.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
6.  INCOME TAXES
    Deferred  income taxes reflect the net  tax effects of temporary differences
between the amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and  income
tax  purposes. Significant components  of the Company's  deferred tax assets and
liabilities were as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                DECEMBER 31,
                                                                            --------------------
                                                                              1995       1994
                                                                            ---------  ---------
                                                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                         <C>        <C>
Deferred tax assets arising from:
  Net operating loss carryforwards........................................  $   3,111  $   2,311
  Bad debt reserves.......................................................         41        118
  Closure and post-closure costs..........................................        421         91
  Amortization of intangibles.............................................        550         76
                                                                            ---------  ---------
    Total deferred tax assets.............................................      4,123      2,596
Valuation allowance.......................................................     (2,323)      (310)
                                                                            ---------  ---------
    Net deferred tax assets...............................................      1,800      2,286
Deferred tax liabilities arising from:
  Property and equipment..................................................      2,898      2,172
  Amortization of intangibles.............................................         84         74
  Capital leases..........................................................         32         11
  Discharge of indebtedness...............................................         26         29
                                                                            ---------  ---------
    Total deferred tax liabilities........................................      3,040      2,286
                                                                            ---------  ---------
    Net deferred tax liability............................................  $  (1,240) $      --
                                                                            ---------  ---------
                                                                            ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
    At December 31, 1995, the Company has net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards
of approximately $8.4 million for income tax purposes that expire in years  2006
to 2010.
 
    The  utilization  of  the NOL  carryforwards  is limited  by  future taxable
earnings generated at  the subsidiary  level. The Company  recorded a  valuation
allowance  against  the  NOL  carryforwards to  reflect  uncertainty  as  to the
utilization of such benefit for  financial reporting purposes, of  approximately
$2.3 million at December 31, 1995. The valuation allowance decreased during 1994
by $81,000 and increased during 1993 by $391,000 due to changes in the certainty
of utilizing NOL carryforwards.
 
    Significant  components of the income tax expense (benefits) were as follows
(in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              DECEMBER 31,
                                                                     -------------------------------
                                                                       1995       1994       1993
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
Current:
  Federal..........................................................  $     141  $      --  $      --
  State............................................................        144         --         --
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                           285         --         --
Deferred:
  Federal..........................................................         38     (1,205)      (330)
  State............................................................          9       (167)       (61)
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                            47     (1,372)      (391)
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
    Total provision................................................  $     332  $  (1,372) $    (391)
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
6.  INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
    A reconciliation from the statutory income tax rate to the effective  income
tax rate was as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            DECEMBER 31,
                                                              ----------------------------------------
                                                                  1995          1994          1993
                                                              ------------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                                           <C>           <C>           <C>
Federal statutory income tax rate...........................      (34.0)%       (34.0)%       (34.0)%
Effect of:
  State taxes, net of federal tax effect....................        3.1          (2.9)         (3.5)
  Net operating loss with no benefit........................       39.6           0.1           3.6
  Other, net................................................        1.6           0.3           1.7
                                                                  -----         -----         -----
    Effective tax rate......................................       10.3%        (36.5)%       (32.2)%
                                                                  -----         -----         -----
                                                                  -----         -----         -----
</TABLE>
 
7.  RELATED PARTIES
    During  1995, the  Company entered  into a  new management  agreement with a
stockholder. The  agreement specifies  certain services  to be  rendered to  the
Company  in exchange for annual management  fees of $700,000. Management fees of
approximately $659,000, $515,000, and $314,000 were incurred in 1995, 1994,  and
1993, respectively.
 
8.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
 
    The  business  and  activities of  the  Company  are or  may  become heavily
regulated  by   the  Environmental   Protection   Agency,  the   Department   of
Transportation,   the   Interstate  Commerce   Commission,  and   various  state
environmental and transportation regulatory authorities. The Company is  subject
to  various statutes and regulations which include,  but are not limited to, the
Resource Conservation  and Recovery  Act of  1976, the  Federal Water  Pollution
Control   Act,  the  Comprehensive   Environmental  Response,  Compensation  and
Liability Act of  1980, the Clean  Air Act, and  various state regulations.  The
full  impact of  these laws  and regulations  and adoption  of new  statutes and
regulations with respect to the Company's facilities and operations is uncertain
and could have material  adverse effects on the  Company's business, results  of
operations,  and financial condition in that  the Company: (i) could be required
to incur additional  expenses in  compliance efforts;  (ii) might  be unable  to
comply,  forcing  the  Company  to  cease  operations;  and  (iii)  could  incur
additional liability for  past operation of  acquired assets. These  regulations
may  also impose restrictions on the  Company's operations, such as limiting the
expansion  of  disposal  facilities,  limiting   or  banning  the  disposal   of
out-of-state  waste  or  certain other  categories  of waste,  or  mandating the
disposal of local refuse.
 
    Although the Company believes it  is in substantial compliance with  current
regulatory requirements, because of heightened political and public concern over
environmental  issues, companies in  the waste disposal  industry, including the
Company, may become subject to judicial and administrative proceedings involving
federal, state, or local agencies in the normal course of business.
 
    The Company has obtained pollution  liability insurance covering claims  for
sudden  or gradual onset environmental damage at its landfill sites. The Company
carries a  comprehensive general  liability  insurance policy  which  management
considers adequate to protect its assets and operations from other risks.
 
    The  Company also may be  subject to claims for  personal injury or property
damage arising out of motor vehicle accidents involving its trucks. The  Company
currently  carries insurance with policy limits  which management believes to be
sufficient to cover  these risks. If  the Company were  to incur liabilities  in
excess  of  its insurance  limits, its  financial  condition could  be adversely
affected.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
8.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (CONTINUED)
    In connection with three of the Company's existing landfills (one in  1994),
the  Company  has  provided  financial assurance  bonds  for  approximately $6.3
million at December 31, 1995 from  a financial institution to provide  financial
assurance  that closure and post-closure expenses will  be met in the event that
the Company is not able to fulfill its closure and post-closure obligations.
 
    At December  31, 1995,  future minimum  lease payments  under  noncancelable
lease obligations are as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            CAPITAL    OPERATING
                                                                            LEASES      LEASES
                                                                           ---------  -----------
<S>                                                                        <C>        <C>
1996.....................................................................  $     598   $   1,548
1997.....................................................................        431       1,101
1998.....................................................................        192       1,015
1999.....................................................................        104         852
2000 and thereafter......................................................         --         379
                                                                           ---------  -----------
    Total minimum lease payments.........................................      1,325   $   4,895
                                                                                      -----------
                                                                                      -----------
Less: Amount representing interest.......................................        176
                                                                           ---------
    Present value of minimum lease payments..............................  $   1,149
                                                                           ---------
                                                                           ---------
</TABLE>
 
    Rental expense in 1995, 1994, and 1993 was approximately $793,000, $132,000,
and $85,000, respectively.
 
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
 
    The  Company has entered  into employment agreements  with several officers.
The terms of these agreements include annual salary commitments of approximately
$795,000. The agreements are effective  through 1998. In addition, the  officers
were  granted options to purchase shares of the Company's common stock (see Note
9).
 
OTHER
 
    The Company has entered into certain Net Profits Agreements (the Agreements)
in conjunction with  the September 1991  Pittsburg County landfill  acquisition.
The  Agreements require the Company to pay a total of 15% of the net profits, as
defined in the Agreements, from the  related acquired landfill operation to  two
individuals  who  are  not currently  stockholders  of ADS.  These  payments are
required for the life  of the acquired landfill.  Through December 31, 1995,  no
amounts related to the Agreements were payable.
 
REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK OF SUBSIDIARY
 
    On  March 28, 1995, ADS, a subsidiary of the Company, issued 1,950 shares of
its Series A Preferred  Stock and 46,550 warrants  to purchase shares of  common
stock  of the Company, for  $1,950,000. The holder of  the warrants can purchase
one common share for each warrant held at the exercise price of $0.10 per  share
on  or  before December  31, 2002.  The holder  of Series  A Preferred  Stock is
entitled to receive, out of  funds legally available, cumulative cash  dividends
at  a rate of $130 per share per annum, payable in equal quarterly installments.
ADS may redeem all or part of  the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding  by
paying  to the holders of the shares  being redeemed a redemption price equal to
the sum of the amount of accrued  and unpaid cumulative dividends on the  shares
being  redeemed,  plus  $1,000 per  share  redeemed  on the  first  day  of each
February, May, August, and November in each year, commencing on May 1, 1995.
 
    In connection with the Exchange, 5,000,000 shares of new preferred stock  of
the Company were authorized with none issued at December 31, 1995.
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
             NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
                        DECEMBER 31, 1995, 1994 AND 1993
 
9.  STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
STOCK OPTIONS
 
    The  Company's Board  of Directors  adopted the  American Disposal Services,
Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan effective  January 1, 1996. The plan permits  grants
of  options up to an aggregate 1,100,000 shares of common stock to employees and
certain consultants of the Company, on such terms as the Company's  compensation
committee  (or  a  stock  option subcommittee  thereof)  determines.  Options to
purchase an aggregate 806,014 shares were  granted under the plan as of  January
1, 1996 to replace existing stock options granted by ADS and County.
 
    An  aggregate of 123,638 options have an  exercise price of $7.17 per share,
and vest in 20% increments on each anniversary of the date of the original grant
of the ADS stock options that they replace. An aggregate of 10,464 options  have
an  exercise price of  $7.17 per share, and  vest in 33  1/3% increments on each
anniversary of the date of the original grant of the ADS stock options that they
replace. An aggregate  of 671,912 options  have an exercise  price of $7.41  per
share,  and vest  in part  over a  three-year period  and in  part based  on the
Company's financial performance through fiscal  1998. All vesting is subject  to
acceleration under specified circumstances. All the foregoing stock options were
originally  granted at their  fair value at  the date of  grant. The new options
granted under  the 1996  Option  Plan expire  ten years  from  the date  of  the
original  grant of the ADS and County stock options they replace. As of December
31, 1995, the number of shares vested under the 1996 Option Plan was 105,223.
 
    No options were exercised during the three years ended December 31, 1995.
 
    Options to purchase an aggregate 63,601 shares were granted outside the plan
to a former employee  as of January  1, 1996 and are  fully vested. Such  shares
have  an exercise price of $7.17 per share, increasing at 25% per annum from the
date of original grant of the ADS stock options they replace.
 
STOCK WARRANTS
 
    In connection with obtaining a credit agreement in 1993, the Company  issued
warrants  to ING  to purchase  71,330 shares  of common  stock. In  1993, 44,606
warrants were  issued with  an exercise  price  of $4.72  per share  and  26,137
warrants  were issued with an  exercise price of $7.17  per share. An additional
587 shares were  issued in  1995 under  terms of  the credit  agreement with  an
exercise  price of $4.72 per share. The common stock was valued by management at
$7.17 on the date of issuance of the warrants. Given the difference between  the
exercise  price and  the value  of the  common stock,  the Company  recorded the
warrants as a component of equity and recognized debt issuance cost of $106,666.
The warrants expire ten years from date of issuance.
 
10. SUBSEQUENT EVENT
    On May 30, 1996, the stockholders of the Company approved a 13.5 to 1  stock
split. The accompanying financial statements are presented as if the stock split
had taken place on December 31, 1992.
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        MARCH 31,
                                                                                                          1996
                                                                                                       -----------
                                                                                                       (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                                    <C>
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents (includes restricted cash of $156).......................................   $   6,706
  Trade receivables, net.............................................................................       6,563
  Other current assets...............................................................................         670
                                                                                                       -----------
Total current assets.................................................................................      13,939
Property, plant, and equipment, net..................................................................      81,696
Other assets:
  Cost over fair value of assets acquired, net.......................................................      15,636
  Other intangibles assets, net......................................................................       1,921
  Other assets.......................................................................................       2,240
                                                                                                       -----------
                                                                                                        $ 115,432
                                                                                                       -----------
                                                                                                       -----------
 
                                       LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current liabilities:
  Note payable due to stockholder....................................................................   $  12,500
  Accounts payable...................................................................................       2,821
  Accrued liabilities and deferred revenues..........................................................       4,009
  Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations....................................       4,167
                                                                                                       -----------
Total current liabilities............................................................................      23,497
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current portion.................................      49,006
Accrued environmental and landfill costs.............................................................       6,623
Deferred income taxes................................................................................       1,080
Redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary.............................................................       1,908
Total stockholders' equity (5,676,901 shares of common stock issued and outstanding).................      33,318
                                                                                                       -----------
                                                                                                        $ 115,432
                                                                                                       -----------
                                                                                                       -----------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH
                                                                                                   31,
                                                                                         ------------------------
                                                                                            1996         1995
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
                                                                                               (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                      <C>         <C>
Revenues...............................................................................  $   11,724  $      5,034
Cost of operations.....................................................................       6,108         3,047
Selling, general, and administrative expenses..........................................       1,935         1,080
Depreciation and amortization..........................................................       2,718           984
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Operating income (loss)................................................................         963           (77)
Interest expense.......................................................................      (1,617)         (511)
Interest income........................................................................          78             4
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Loss before income taxes...............................................................        (576)         (584)
Income tax benefit.....................................................................         160           156
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Net loss...............................................................................        (416)         (428)
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary.....................................         (63)           --
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Net loss applicable to common stockholders.............................................  $     (479) $       (428)
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Loss per share of common stock.........................................................  $     (.08) $       (.17)
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
Weighted average common stock and common stock equivalent shares outstanding...........   5,864,078     2,569,522
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
                                                                                         ----------  ------------
</TABLE>
    
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                                    MARCH 31,
                                                                                               --------------------
                                                                                                 1996       1995
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
                                                                                                   (UNAUDITED)
<S>                                                                                            <C>        <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net loss.....................................................................................  $    (416) $    (428)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
  Depreciation and amortization..............................................................      2,718        984
  Provision for environmental and landfill costs.............................................        118         12
  Deferred income taxes......................................................................       (160)      (156)
  Changes in working capital:................................................................
    Trade receivables........................................................................       (232)       109
    Accounts payable.........................................................................       (364)        (5)
    Accrued liabilities and deferred revenue.................................................        447       (317)
    Other working capital....................................................................        (93)      (268)
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities..........................................      2,018        (69)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures.........................................................................     (2,674)      (991)
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
Net cash used in investing activities........................................................     (2,674)      (991)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred stock of subsidiary..................................         --      1,908
Preferred stock dividend requirement of subsidiary...........................................        (63)        --
Net borrowings (repayments)..................................................................        944     (1,170)
Cash paid for stock issuance costs...........................................................        (58)        --
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
Net cash provided by financing activities....................................................        823        738
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash).............        167       (322)
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash) at beginning of period.................      6,539        739
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash) at end of period.......................  $   6,706  $     417
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
                                                                                               ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
              NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                            MARCH 31, 1996 AND 1995
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
1.  FORMATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
    The  accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have
been prepared in  accordance with generally  accepted accounting principles  for
interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article
10  of Regulation S-X. Accordingly,  they do not include  all of the information
and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for  complete
financial  statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting
of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation  have
been  included. Operating  results for  the three-month  period ended  March 31,
1996, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the
fiscal year ending  December 31,  1996. For  further information,  refer to  the
consolidated financial statements and footnotes included elsewhere herein.
 
    Effective  January 1,  1996, the  stockholders of  ADS and  County exchanged
their shares  for shares  of a  newly created  holding company  by the  name  of
American  Disposal  Services,  Inc.  (the  Company).  This  share  exchange (the
Exchange) qualifies  as  a  transfer  of companies  under  common  control  and,
accordingly,  the transaction  has been  accounted for  at historical  cost in a
manner similar to pooling of interest accounting. The financial statements  have
been prepared as if the Exchange occurred on December 31, 1994.
 
2.  RELATED PARTY INTEREST EXPENSE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                  MARCH 31,
                                                                             --------------------
                                                                               1996       1995
                                                                             ---------  ---------
                                                                                (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                          <C>        <C>
Charterhouse Equity Partners II, L.P.......................................  $     359  $      --
                                                                             ---------  ---------
                                                                             ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
3.  ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
    See  Note 8 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere
herein for a description of environmental matters.
 
4.  ACQUISITIONS
    As described  in  Note  3  of Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements
included  elsewhere herein,  the pro forma  results of operations  for the three
months ended  March 31,  1996 and  1995 assuming  the Envirite  Acquisition  had
occurred at January 1, 1995 were as follows (in thousands, except share data):
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       THREE MONTHS
                                                                     ENDED MARCH 31,
                                                                  ----------------------
                                                                     1996        1995
                                                                  ----------  ----------
<S>                                                               <C>         <C>
Revenues........................................................  $   11,724  $   10,006
Operating income................................................         963         112
Net loss applicable to common stockholders......................        (479)     (1,048)
Pro forma loss per share of common stock........................  $     (.08) $     (.18)
Weighted average common stock and common stock equivalent shares
 outstanding....................................................   5,864,078   5,864,078
</TABLE>
    
 
5.  SUBSEQUENT EVENT
    In   May  1996,  the   Company  negotiated  a   new  credit  agreement  with
Internationale Nederlanden (U.S.) Capital  Corporation (ING), as  administrative
agent,  and Morgan Guaranty  Trust Company of New  York, as documentation agent,
that provides for borrowings  of up to $87  million to finance acquisitions  and
provide  working capital, which was used to repay the existing credit agreements
with Bank of America  and ING, as  well as the note  payable to stockholder  and
redeemable   preferred   stock   of  subsidiary.   The   facility   consists  of
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>
5.  SUBSEQUENT EVENT (CONTINUED)
a $38 million term loan A, $25  million term loan B, $7 million revolving  loan,
and  $17 million acquisition facility. The rate of interest is equal to either a
base rate plus an applicable margin or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
plus an applicable margin. The base rate is the higher of the Federal Funds Rate
plus 0.5% or the prime rate. Term loan A bears an interest rate of the base rate
plus 1.25% or LIBOR plus 2.75% and is due in quarterly installments beginning in
December 1996 through June 2001. Term loan B bears an interest rate of the  base
rate  plus  1.75% or  LIBOR  plus 3.25%  and  is due  in  quarterly installments
beginning in  December 1996  through  June 2003.  The  revolving loan  bears  an
interest  rate of the  base rate plus 1.00%  or LIBOR plus  2.50% and matures on
June 30, 2001. The acquisition facility bears an interest rate of the base  rate
plus 1.50% or LIBOR plus 3.00% and is due in quarterly installments beginning in
September  1998 through March 2000. The  revolving loan and acquisition facility
provide for  commitment fees  of 1/2%  per  annum on  the unused  portions.  The
facility  is secured by  substantially all of  the assets of  the Company. Under
terms of the credit agreement, the Company is subject to various debt covenants,
including maintenance of  certain financial ratios  and other restrictions.  The
Credit  Facility requires the Company  to use 50% of  the proceeds of any equity
offering to repay a portion of the term loans.
 
                                      F-22
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
                 PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995
                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
                            PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The  following unaudited Pro  Forma Consolidated Statement  of Operations of
the Company is based on the historical Consolidated Financial Statements of  the
Company  and  Envirite  Corporation MSG  Facilities  included  elsewhere herein,
adjusted to  give  effect  to  the  Envirite  Acquisition  and  the  refinancing
transactions.
 
    The  Pro  Forma  Consolidated Statement  of  Operations for  the  year ended
December 31, 1995 gives effect to  the Envirite Acquisition and the  refinancing
transactions,  as if  they had  occurred as  of January  1, 1995.  The Pro Forma
Consolidated Statement  of Operations  does not  purport to  represent what  the
Company's  results  of  operations would  actually  have been  had  the Envirite
Acquisition in fact occurred on such date or to project the Company's results of
operations for any future period or  date. The Pro Forma Consolidated  Statement
of  Operations does not give effect to  any transactions other then the Envirite
Acquisition and the refinancing transactions, as  discussed in the notes to  the
Pro Forma Consolidated Statement of Operations set forth below.
 
    The  Envirite Acquisition  was accounted  for using  the purchase  method of
accounting. Under  purchase  accounting, tangible  and  identifiable  intangible
assets  acquired and liabilities  assumed are recorded  at their respective fair
values.
 
    The Pro  Forma  adjustments are  based  on available  information  and  upon
certain assumptions that management of the Company believes are reasonable under
the circumstances. The Pro Forma Financial Data and accompanying notes should be
read in conjunction with the historical Consolidated Financial Statements of the
Company  and Envirite Corporation  MSG Facilities, including  the notes thereto,
and other financial  information pertaining  to the  Company included  elsewhere
herein.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                ACQUISITIONS
                                                        -----------------------------
                                           HISTORICAL   HISTORICAL (1) ADJUSTMENTS (2) REFINANCING (3)   PRO FORMA
                                           -----------  ------------  ---------------  ---------------  ------------
<S>                                        <C>          <C>           <C>              <C>              <C>
Revenues.................................   $  30,004    $   14,496      $  --            $  --         $     44,500
Cost of operations.......................      17,286         5,044                                           22,330
Selling, general and administrative
 expenses................................       5,882         2,146          1,465                             9,493
Depreciation and amortization............       6,308         5,861            784               87           13,040
                                           -----------  ------------       -------            -----     ------------
Operating income (loss)..................         528         1,445         (2,249)             (87)            (363)
Interest Expense.........................      (3,030)                      (2,241)             (43)          (5,314)
Interest Income..........................         189                                        --                  189
                                           -----------  ------------       -------            -----     ------------
Loss before income taxes and
 extraordinary item......................      (2,313)        1,445         (4,490)            (130)          (5,488)
Income tax benefit (expense).............        (332)                                                          (332)
                                           -----------  ------------       -------            -----     ------------
Net loss.................................   $  (2,645)   $    1,445      $  (4,490)       $    (130)    $     (5,820)
                                           -----------  ------------       -------            -----     ------------
                                           -----------  ------------       -------            -----     ------------
Net loss per share of common stock.......                                                               $       (.99)
                                                                                                        ------------
                                                                                                        ------------
Weighted average common stock and common
 stock equivalent shares outstanding.....                                                                  5,864,078
                                                                                                        ------------
                                                                                                        ------------
EBITDA (4)...............................                                                               $     12,677
                                                                                                        ------------
                                                                                                        ------------
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      F-23
<PAGE>
                        AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
           PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)
                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995
                 (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
- - ------------------------
 
(1)  Reflects the combined historical statement of revenues and direct operating
    expenses for the Municipal Services Group (MSG) of Envirite Corporation  for
    the period of January 1, 1995 through the dates of acquisitions as follows:
 
       -  Clarion County, Pennsylvania -- June 8, 1995
       -  Wyandot County, Ohio -- August 1, 1995
       -  Livingston County, Illinois -- November 16, 1995
 
(2)  Adjustments to reflect the historical amounts for the acquisitions noted in
    footnote (1) as follows (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                   <C>
Incremental amortization of landfill costs recorded in purchase
 accounting.........................................................  $     752
Incremental goodwill amortization of assets acquired in excess of
 fair value.........................................................         32
Incremental interest expense on additional debt.....................      2,241
Incremental selling, general and administrative expenses, including
 management salaries and benefits, professional fees and other
 expenses...........................................................      1,465
                                                                      ---------
                                                                      $   4,490
                                                                      ---------
                                                                      ---------
</TABLE>
 
(3) Adjustments to reflect the new credit facility, which replaces: (i) the Bank
    of America term  loan and revolver;  (ii) the ING  Capital Corporation  term
    loans and revolver; (iii) $7.5 million of the note payable to a stockholder;
    and  (iv)  the redeemable  perferred stock  of a  subsidiary as  follows (in
    thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                  <C>
Interest Expense
  Term loan A at $38 million bearing an interest rate of 8.79%.....  $   3,340
  Term loan B at $21 million bearing an interest rate of 9.29%.....      1,974
  Less historical and adjusted interest expense....................     (5,271)
                                                                     ---------
  Net adjustment...................................................  $      43
                                                                     ---------
                                                                     ---------
Debt Issuance Costs
  Amortization for new credit facility.............................  $     345
  Less historical amortization.....................................       (258)
                                                                     ---------
  Net adjustment...................................................  $      87
                                                                     ---------
                                                                     ---------
</TABLE>
 
    An average LIBOR  rate of 6.04%  was used  for the year  ended December  31,
1995.  The  debt  issuance costs  were  allocated  on a  pro-rata  basis  to the
respective components of the new credit facility.
 
(4) EBITDA represents operating income plus depreciation and amortization. While
    EBITDA data should not  be construed as a  substitute for operating  income,
    net  income (loss) or cash flows  from operations in analyzing the Company's
    operating performance, financial  position and cash  flows, the Company  has
    included EBITDA data (which are not a measure of financial performance under
    generally  accepted accounting principles) because  it understands that such
    data are  commonly  used  by  certain  investors  to  evaluate  a  company's
    performance in the solid waste industry.
 
                                      F-24
<PAGE>
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors
Envirite Corporation
 
    We  have audited the  accompanying statements of net  assets acquired of the
MSG Facilities of Envirite  Corporation as of December  31, 1994 and January  1,
1994,  and the related  statements of revenue and  direct operating expenses for
the years  then ended.  These  financial statements  are the  responsibility  of
Envirite  Corporation's management. Our responsibility  is to express an opinion
on these financial statements based on our audits.
 
    We conducted  our  audits in  accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about  whether the  statements of net  assets acquired  and
revenue  and direct  operating expenses  are free  of material  misstatement. An
audit includes examining, on a test  basis, evidence supporting the amounts  and
disclosures  in the statements. An audit  also includes assessing the accounting
principles used  and  significant  estimates  made by  management,  as  well  as
evaluating  the  overall presentation  of the  statements.  We believe  that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
    As described in Note 1, the accompanying financial statements were  prepared
for  the purpose of complying with Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, as agreed to by representatives of the Commission,  and
are  not intended to  be a complete  presentation of assets  and liabilities and
results of operations on a stand-alone basis of the MSG Facilities.
 
    In our opinion, the financial  statements referred to above present  fairly,
in  all material  respects, the  net assets  acquired of  the MSG  Facilities of
Envirite Corporation at December 31, 1994  and January 1, 1994, and the  revenue
and  direct operating expenses for the years then ended, as described in Note 1,
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 8, 1995
 
                                      F-25
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
                       STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS ACQUIRED
 
                                     ASSETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     DECEMBER 31,    JANUARY 1,
                                                                                         1994           1994
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                  <C>            <C>
Accounts receivable................................................................  $   3,329,720  $   1,883,946
Wyandot trust fund.................................................................      1,029,770        664,521
 
Property, plant and equipment, at cost:
  Land, primarily disposal sites...................................................     28,682,963     26,911,426
  Buildings........................................................................        850,276        838,985
  Machinery and equipment..........................................................      6,075,446      5,387,264
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
                                                                                        35,608,685     33,137,675
  Less accumulated depreciation....................................................     (7,073,154)    (5,054,868)
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
Net property, plant and equipment..................................................     28,535,531     28,082,807
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
    Total assets...................................................................  $  32,895,021  $  30,631,274
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
 
                                       LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS ACQUIRED
Closure and post-closure liabilities...............................................  $   3,790,695  $   2,223,407
Financing agreements...............................................................      1,189,196             --
Capital leases payable.............................................................        270,808        294,793
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
    Total liabilities..............................................................      5,250,699      2,518,200
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
Net assets acquired................................................................  $  27,644,322  $  28,113,074
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-26
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
 
              STATEMENTS OF REVENUE AND DIRECT OPERATING EXPENSES
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         FISCAL YEARS ENDED,
                                                                                     ----------------------------
                                                                                     DECEMBER 31,    JANUARY 1,
                                                                                         1994           1994
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                  <C>            <C>
Sales..............................................................................  $  18,820,589  $  14,873,841
Direct operating costs and expenses:
  Cost of sales....................................................................     13,279,680     10,475,968
  Selling and administrative.......................................................      4,452,969      3,445,685
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
Operating profit...................................................................  $   1,087,940  $     952,188
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
                                                                                     -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-27
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
        FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND JANUARY 1, 1994
 
1.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
 
    On April 28, 1995, Envirite Corporation (Envirite) and County Disposal, Inc.
(County) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the Agreement) whereby County
agreed  to  purchase  from  Envirite  certain  landfill  facilities  and   waste
transportation  and collection equipment located  in Livingston County, Illinois
(Livingston Facility) and Wyandot  County, Ohio (Wyandot  Facility), all of  the
issued  and outstanding capital stock of  County Environmental Services, Inc., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Envirite, which owns and operates a landfill facility
and waste transportation  and collection  equipment located  in Clarion  County,
Pennsylvania  (Clarion Facility) (collectively, the MSG Facilities), and certain
related assets, and assume certain liabilities.
 
    The accompanying Statements of  Net Assets Acquired  present as of  December
31,  1994 and  January 1, 1994,  the MSG  Facilities' assets to  be acquired and
certain liabilities assumed (including those represented by the capital stock of
County Environmental Services, Inc.) by County pursuant to the Agreement.  Cash,
income  tax benefits and liabilities, and  certain other assets and liabilities,
related to the MSG Facilities will be retained by Envirite and are not  included
herein. Pursuant to the Agreement, County assumes certain other liabilities that
are  not required by generally accepted  accounting principles to be recorded in
these financial  statements.  The Statements  of  Revenue and  Direct  Operating
Expenses   represent  those   revenues  and   expenses  that   are  specifically
identifiable to  the  MSG  Facilities  and  do  not  include  certain  corporate
expenses.  As a  result, the  accompanying Statements are  not intended  to be a
complete presentation of the MSG Facilities' assets and liabilities and  results
of operations had they been operated as a stand-alone entity.
 
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
 
    Pursuant to the Agreement, accounts receivable represent amounts not greater
than 60 days old. All other receivables are retained by Envirite.
 
WYANDOT TRUST FUND
 
    These  amounts are held in trust to  meet legal requirements for closure and
post-closure obligations for the Wyandot Facility.
 
PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Costs associated with the acquisition and development of disposal sites  are
recorded  as  land and  amortized as  landfill capacity  is consumed.  Plant and
equipment is depreciated under the straight-line method. Estimated useful  lives
are  15 to 35 years for buildings and  3 to 8 years for machinery and equipment.
Depreciation and landfill amortization expense was $2,183,000 and $2,110,000  in
1994 and 1993, respectively.
 
    As  of January 2,  1994, the Company  changed the estimated  useful lives of
certain transportation  assets from  five to  eight years.  The effect  of  this
change in useful lives was to increase the operating profit by $136,000 in 1994.
 
FISCAL YEAR
 
    The  Company utilizes a 52 - 53 week fiscal year. There were 53 weeks in the
1993 fiscal year and 52 weeks in the 1994 fiscal year.
 
CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE COSTS
 
    The estimated costs associated with meeting regulatory requirements for  the
closure  and  post-closure monitoring  of landfills  are  charged to  expense as
landfill capacity is consumed. Post-closure monitoring is
 
                                      F-28
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
        FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND JANUARY 1, 1994
 
1.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
generally required for thirty years from the time the landfill is closed.  These
costs  and  landfill  capacities  are based  on  engineering  estimates  and are
reviewed annually. Landfill  closure and  post-closure costs  of $1,709,000  and
$1,228,000 were expensed in 1994 and 1993, respectively.
 
    In  accordance  with  regulatory requirements,  Envirite  provides financial
assurance for  closure  and  post-closure  monitoring.  These  requirements  are
satisfied  either  by  providing a  letter  of  credit or  funding  a  trust. In
accordance with these requirements, Envirite had $3,239,000 of letters of credit
outstanding at December 31,  1994 for these purposes  and $1,029,770 is held  in
trust.
 
SELLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE
 
    Included  in direct  selling and administrative  expense for  the year ended
December 31, 1994 is approximately $700,000 of one-time charges related to bonus
payments to certain Envirite  employees who assisted in  the disposition of  the
landfills.
 
2.  RENT EXPENSE
    Rent  expense for leased office space and certain equipment was $386,000 and
$259,000 in 1994 and 1993, respectively.
 
    Future annual rentals for these operating leases will be as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                               <C>
1995............................................................  $ 597,170
1996............................................................    597,170
1997............................................................    484,016
1998............................................................    391,948
1999............................................................    166,332
                                                                  ---------
                                                                  $2,236,636
                                                                  ---------
                                                                  ---------
</TABLE>
 
3.  CAPITAL LEASES
    Property, plant, and equipment includes leased property under capital leases
as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     DECEMBER 31,  JANUARY 1,
                                                                         1994         1994
                                                                     ------------  ----------
<S>                                                                  <C>           <C>
Machinery and equipment............................................   $  552,191   $  456,000
Less accumulated depreciation......................................      213,966      122,766
                                                                     ------------  ----------
                                                                      $  338,225   $  333,234
                                                                     ------------  ----------
                                                                     ------------  ----------
</TABLE>
 
    Future minimum lease payments under  these capital leases together with  the
present  value of  the minimum  lease payments  as of  December 31,  1994 are as
follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                 <C>
1995..............................................................  $ 138,649
1996..............................................................     88,124
1997..............................................................     44,221
1998..............................................................     23,261
1999..............................................................     13,572
                                                                    ---------
    Total minimum lease payments..................................    307,827
Less amount representing interest.................................    (37,019)
                                                                    ---------
Present value of minimum lease payments...........................  $ 270,808
                                                                    ---------
                                                                    ---------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-29
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
        FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND JANUARY 1, 1994
 
4.  FINANCING AGREEMENTS
    Financing agreements  are  secured by  certain  equipment used  at  the  MSG
Facilities  and are at  interest rates ranging  from 7.6% to  10.7% with monthly
principal payments through July  1999. The amount of  the liability is based  on
the  purchased assets  collateralizing the debt.  County Environmental Services,
Inc. is a guarantor of  one financing agreement, a  portion of which relates  to
the  purchased  assets. The  amount of  the guarantee  not related  to purchased
assets is $430,000 as of November 8, 1995.
 
5.  ASSETS PLEDGED AS COLLATERAL
    At December 31, 1994, Envirite had  a loan and security agreement  providing
for  a revolving credit  facility for $28,300,000  including cash borrowings and
letters of  credit  (the "Revolving  Credit  Facility"). Collateral  includes  a
security  interest in accounts receivable and  certain real property included in
the accompanying financial statements and the stock of a subsidiary of Envirite.
 
6.  SUBSEQUENT EVENT
    As of November 8, 1995, the Wyandot and Clarion Facilities have been sold to
County in accordance with the Agreement. Cash borrowings and irrevocable letters
of credit under Envirite's  Revolving Credit Facility at  that date were $0  and
$4,656,424, respectively.
 
                                      F-30
<PAGE>
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors
Envirite Corporation
 
    We  have audited the accompanying statement  of revenue and direct operating
expenses of the MSG Facilities of Envirite Corporation for the period January 1,
1995 to November  15, 1995. This  financial statement is  the responsibility  of
Envirite  Corporation's management. Our responsibility  is to express an opinion
on this financial statement based on our audit.
 
    We conducted  our  audit  in accordance  with  generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the statement of revenue and direct operating
expenses is free  of material misstatement.  An audit includes  examining, on  a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the statement. An
audit  also includes  assessing the  accounting principles  used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation  of
the  statement. We believe  that our audit  provides a reasonable  basis for our
opinion.
 
    As described in Note  1, the accompanying  financial statement was  prepared
for  the purpose of complying with Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, as agreed to by representatives of the Commission,  and
is  not intended  to be a  complete presentation  of results of  operations on a
stand-alone basis of the MSG Facilities.
 
    In our opinion, the financial  statement referred to above presents  fairly,
in  all material respects, the revenue and  direct operating expenses of the MSG
Facilities of Envirite Corporation  for the period January  1, 1995 to  November
15,  1995,  as  described  in  Note 1,  in  conformity  with  generally accepted
accounting principles.
 
                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 9, 1996
 
                                      F-31
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
 
               STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND DIRECT OPERATING EXPENSES
 
              FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 1995 TO NOVEMBER 15, 1995
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                           <C>
Sales.......................................................................   $ 14,495,965
Direct operating costs and expenses:
  Cost of sales.............................................................     10,904,948
  Selling and administrative................................................      2,145,510
                                                                              --------------
Operating profit............................................................   $  1,445,507
                                                                              --------------
                                                                              --------------
</TABLE>
 
                            See accompanying notes.
 
                                      F-32
<PAGE>
                              ENVIRITE CORPORATION
                                 MSG FACILITIES
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
              FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 1995 TO NOVEMBER 15, 1995
 
1.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
 
    On April 28, 1995, Envirite Corporation (Envirite) and County Disposal, Inc.
(County) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the Agreement) whereby County
agreed  to  purchase  from  Envirite  certain  landfill  facilities  and   waste
transportation  and collection equipment located  in Livingston County, Illinois
(Livingston Facility) and Wyandot  County, Ohio (Wyandot  Facility), all of  the
issued  and outstanding capital stock of  County Environmental Services, Inc., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Envirite, which owns and operates a landfill facility
and waste transportation  and collection  equipment located  in Clarion  County,
Pennsylvania  (Clarion Facility) (collectively, the MSG Facilities), and certain
related assets, and to assume certain liabilities.
 
    The Statement  of Revenue  and Direct  Operating Expenses  represents  those
revenues  and expenses from  January 1, 1995 to  the dates of  sale of the three
facilities (June 8, 1995 for Clarion;  August 1, 1995 for Wyandot; November  16,
1995  for Livingston) that  are specifically identifiable  to the MSG Facilities
and do not  include certain corporate  expenses. As a  result, the  accompanying
Statement is not intended to be a complete representation of the MSG Facilities'
results of operations had they been operated as a stand-alone entity.
 
CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE COSTS
 
    The  estimated costs associated with meeting regulatory requirements for the
closure and  post-closure monitoring  of  landfills are  charged to  expense  as
landfill capacity is consumed. Post-closure monitoring is generally required for
thirty  years from  the time  the landfill is  closed. These  costs and landfill
capacities are  based  on  engineering  estimates  and  are  reviewed  annually.
Landfill  closure  and post-closure  costs of  $1,472,000  were expensed  in the
period January 1, 1995 to November 15, 1995.
 
USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions that  affect the  amounts reported  in the  financial statement  and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
2.  RENT EXPENSE
    Rent  expense for leased office space and certain equipment was $482,000 for
the period January 1, 1995 to November 15, 1995.
 
                                      F-33
<PAGE>
- - ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
- - ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
 
    NO  DEALER,  SALESPERSON  OR ANY  OTHER  PERSON  IS AUTHORIZED  TO  GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING OTHER
THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION
OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST  NOT BE  RELIED UPON AS  HAVING BEEN  AUTHORIZED BY  THE
COMPANY OR ANY UNDERWRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL
OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY BY ANYONE IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH
OFFER  TO SELL OR SOLICITATION IS NOT  AUTHORIZED, OR IN WHICH THE PERSON MAKING
SUCH OFFER IS NOT QUALIFIED TO DO SO OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL  TO
MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY
SALE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE
HAS  BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AFFAIRS OF  THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED  HEREIN IS CORRECT  AS OF ANY  TIME SUBSEQUENT TO  ITS
DATE.
 
                              -------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          PAGE
                                                          -----
<S>                                                    <C>
Prospectus Summary...................................           3
Risk Factors.........................................           6
The Company..........................................          15
Use of Proceeds......................................          15
Dividend Policy......................................          15
Dilution.............................................          16
Capitalization.......................................          17
Selected Consolidated Financial Data.................          18
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
  Condition and Results of Operations................          19
Business.............................................          26
Management...........................................          40
Certain Transactions.................................          44
Principal Stockholders...............................          45
Description of Capital Stock.........................          47
Shares Eligible for Future Sale......................          48
Underwriting.........................................          50
Legal Matters........................................          51
Experts..............................................          51
Additional Information...............................          52
Index to Financial Statements........................         F-1
</TABLE>
    
 
                              -------------------
 
   
    UNTIL  AUGUST 19, 1996 (25 DAYS AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE OFFERING), ALL
DEALERS EFFECTING  TRANSACTIONS IN  THE REGISTERED  SECURITIES, WHETHER  OR  NOT
PARTICIPATING  IN THIS  DISTRIBUTION, MAY BE  REQUIRED TO  DELIVER A PROSPECTUS.
THIS DELIVERY REQUIREMENT IS IN ADDITION TO THE OBLIGATION OF DEALERS TO DELIVER
A PROSPECTUS  WHEN ACTING  AS  UNDERWRITERS AND  WITH  RESPECT TO  THEIR  UNSOLD
ALLOTMENTS OR SUBSCRIPTIONS.
    
 
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                               -----------------
 
                            OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.
 
                                CS FIRST BOSTON
 
   
                                 JULY 25, 1996
    
 
- - ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
- - ------------------------------------------------
                                ------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                    PART II
                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 13.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
    The  following table shows the  expenses, other than underwriting discounts,
which the  Company  expects  to  incur  in  connection  with  the  issuance  and
distribution   of  the  securities  being  registered  under  this  registration
statement. All expenses  are estimated  except for the  Securities and  Exchange
Commission registration fee and the NASD filing fee.
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                               <C>
Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.............  $  15,268
Nasdaq entry fee................................................     38,567
NASD filing fee.................................................      4,928
Blue Sky fees and expenses......................................     25,000
Legal fees and expenses.........................................    400,000
Accounting fees and expenses....................................    175,000
Printing and engraving expenses.................................    100,000
Transfer agent's fee............................................      3,000
Miscellaneous...................................................    238,237
                                                                  ---------
    Total.......................................................  $1,000,000
                                                                  ---------
                                                                  ---------
</TABLE>
 
- - ------------------------
 
ITEM 14.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
    Section  145  of  the  General  Corporation Law  of  the  State  of Delaware
("Section 145") permits a Delaware corporation  to indemnify any person who  was
or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or
completed  action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative,
or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent  of
the  corporation, or is  or was serving at  the request of  the corporation as a
director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust,  or other  enterprise,  against expenses  (including  attorneys'
fees),  judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by him in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding if he  acted
in  good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal  action
or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
 
    In  the case of an action by or in the right of the corporation, Section 145
permits the corporation  to indemnify any  person who was  or is a  party or  is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action or
suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by
reason  of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of
the corporation, or is  or was serving  at the request of  the corporation as  a
director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
actually  and  reasonably incurred  by  him in  connection  with the  defense or
settlement of such action or suit if he  acted in good faith and in a manner  he
reasonably  believed  to be  in  or not  opposed to  the  best interests  of the
corporation. No indemnification may be made  in respect of any claim, issue,  or
matter  as to  which such person  shall have been  adjudged to be  liable to the
corporation unless and  only to the  extent that  the Court of  Chancery or  the
court  in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
 
    To the extent that a director, officer, employee, or agent of a  corporation
has  been successful on the merits or  otherwise in defense of any action, suit,
or proceeding referred to in the preceding two paragraphs, Section 145  requires
that he be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and
reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>
    Section  145 provides that expenses  (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
an officer  or director  in defending  any civil,  criminal, administrative,  or
investigative  action, suit,  or proceeding  may be  paid by  the corporation in
advance of  the final  disposition  of such  action,  suit, or  proceeding  upon
receipt  of an undertaking by or on behalf  of such director or officer to repay
such amount if it shall ultimately be  determined that he is not entitled to  be
indemnified by the corporation as authorized in Section 145.
 
    Article  Fifth of the Company's  Certificate of Incorporation eliminates the
personal liability  of  the directors  of  the Company  to  the Company  or  its
stockholders  for monetary  damages for breach  of fiduciary  duty as directors,
with certain exceptions, and Article Sixth requires indemnification of directors
and officers of the Company, and  for advancement of litigation expenses to  the
fullest  extent permitted by Section 145. Article Sixth of the Company's By-laws
provides for  indemnification of  the Company's  officers and  directors to  the
fullest  extent permitted by Section 145  and other applicable laws as currently
in effect and as they may be amended in the future.
 
    The Underwriting  Agreement  filed  herewith as  Exhibit  1.1  provides  for
indemnification  of the directors, certain  officers, and controlling persons of
the Company by  the Underwriters  against certain  civil liabilities,  including
liabilities  under  the  Securities  Act.  The  Company  has  also  entered into
agreements  with   its   directors   and  executive   officers   providing   for
indemnification in certain circumstances.
 
ITEM 15.  RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
 
    As part of the Exchange, the Company issued an aggregate of 5,676,901 shares
of  its Common  Stock, options  to purchase 869,615  shares of  Common Stock and
Warrants to purchase 215,455 shares of Common Stock (after giving effect to  the
Stock  Split)  to the  then stockholders,  option  holders and  warrant holders,
respectively, of ADS and CDI, effective  as of January 1, 1996. No  underwriters
were  engaged in connection  with the foregoing sales  of securities. Such sales
were made  in  reliance on  the  exemption set  forth  in Section  4(2)  of  the
Securities  Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities  Act"), relating to sales by an
issuer not involving a public offering.  All of the foregoing shares are  deemed
to be restricted securities for the purposes of the Securities Act.
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
 
    (a) Exhibits
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.                                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
- - -----------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<C>          <S>
        .11  Form of Underwriting Agreement*
       3.1   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company*
       3.2   Amendment to Restated Certificate of Incorporation*
       3.3   By-laws of the Company*
       4.1   Specimen Common Stock Certificate*
       5.1   Opinion of Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn LLP*
      10.1   Credit Agreement dated as of May 30, 1996 among the Company, Internationale Nederlanden (U.S.)
              Capital Corporation, as administrative agent, and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as
              documentation agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto*
      10.2   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 1, 1996 among the Company and certain of its
              stockholders*
      10.3   Employment Agreement dated as of May 31, 1996 between the Company and Richard De Young*
      10.4   Employment Agreement dated January 26, 1993 between the Company and John J. McDonnell, as amended*
      10.5   Employment Agreement dated May 16, 1995 between the Company and Richard T. Kogler*
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.                                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
- - -----------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      10.6   Employment Agreement dated June 2, 1995 between the Company and Ann L. Straw*
<C>          <S>
      10.7   Employment Agreement dated May 3, 1994 between the Company and Lawrence R. Conrath*
      10.8   Employment Agreement dated as of May 31, 1996 between the Company and David C. Stoller*
      10.9   American Disposal Services, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan*
      10.10  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its directors*
      10.11  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its executive officers*
      10.12  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its directors and executive officers*
      10.13  Form of Tax-Sharing Agreement between the Company and its executive officers*
      21.1   Subsidiaries of the Company*
      23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
      23.2   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
      23.3   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
      23.4   Consent of Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn LLP (included in exhibit 5.1)*
      24.1   Powers of Attorney*
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
(*) Previously filed.
 
    (b) Financial Statement Schedules
 
        None
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
    The Registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
        (1)  For purposes of determining any  liability under the Securities Act
    of 1933, the information omitted from  the form of prospectus filed as  part
    of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a
    form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4)
    under  the Securities Act  shall be deemed  to be part  of this registration
    statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
        (2) For the purpose  of determining any  liability under the  Securities
    Act  of  1933,  each  post-effective  amendment  that  contains  a  form  of
    prospectus shall be deemed  to be a new  registration statement relating  to
    the  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
    time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.
 
    The Registrant  hereby undertakes  to  provide to  the Underwriters  at  the
closing  specified in the Underwriting Agreement (filed herewith as Exhibit 1.1)
certificates in such denominations and registered  in such names as required  by
the Underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
 
    Insofar  as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of  the
Registrant  pursuant to the provisions described  above in Item 14 or otherwise,
the Registrant  has been  advised that  in  the opinion  of the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission such indemnification is  against public policy as expressed
in the Securities  Act of 1933  and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the  event
that  a  claim  for indemnification  against  such liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the Registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer,
or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit,  or  proceeding)  is asserted  against  the Registrant  by  such director,
officer,  or  controlling  person  in  connection  with  the  securities   being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has  been settled  by controlling  precedent, submit  to a  court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification by it is against  public
policy  as expressed in the  Securities Act of 1933 and  will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
   
    Pursuant  to the requirements of the  Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
has duly caused this amendment to the Registrant's registration statement to  be
signed  on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City
of Burr Ridge, State of Illinois, on July 24, 1996.
    
 
                                          AMERICAN DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
 
                                          By:        /s/ RICHARD DE YOUNG*
 
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                      Richard De Young
                                                          PRESIDENT
 
    Pursuant to the requirements of the  Securities Act of 1933, this  amendment
to  the Registrant's  registration statement  has been  signed by  the following
persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
   
<TABLE>
<C>                                                     <S>                                       <C>
                      SIGNATURE                                          TITLE                         DATE
- - ------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------  ---------------
                /s/ DAVID C. STOLLER*                   Chairman and Director                      July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------         (principal executive officer)
                   David C. Stoller
 
                /s/ RICHARD DE YOUNG*                   President and Director                     July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                   Richard De Young
 
                  /s/ SCOTT H. FLAMM                    Senior Vice President, Chief Financial     July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------         Officer and Director (principal
                    Scott H. Flamm                       financial officer)
 
               /s/ LAWRENCE R. CONRATH*                 Vice President and Controller (principal   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------         accounting officer)
                 Lawrence R. Conrath
 
                /s/ MERRIL M. HALPERN*                  Director                                   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                  Merril M. Halpern
 
                /s/ A. LAWRENCE FAGAN*                  Director                                   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                  A. Lawrence Fagan
 
             /s/ RICHARD T. HENSHAW, III*               Director                                   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
               Richard T. Henshaw, III
 
                /s/ G. T. BLANKENSHIP*                  Director                                   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                  G. T. Blankenship
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<C>                                                     <S>                                       <C>
                      SIGNATURE                                          TITLE                         DATE
- - ------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------  ---------------
                 /s/ NORMAN STEISEL*                    Director                                   July 24, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                    Norman Steisel
 
           By:           /S/ SCOTT H. FLAMM
       ---------------------------------------
                    Scott H. Flamm
                   Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-5
<PAGE>
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO.                                    DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS                                      PAGE
- - -----------  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ---------
<C>          <S>                                                                                          <C>
       1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement*
       3.1   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company*
       3.2   Amendment to Restated Certificate of Incorporation*
       3.3   By-laws of the Company*
       4.1   Specimen Common Stock Certificate*
       5.1   Opinion of Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn LLP*
      10.1   Credit Agreement dated as of May 30, 1996 among the Company, Internationale Nederlanden
              (U.S.) Capital Corporation, as administrative agent, and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of
              New York, as documentation agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto*
      10.2   Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 1, 1996 among the Company and certain of
              its stockholders*
      10.3   Employment Agreement dated as of May 31, 1996 between the Company and Richard De Young*
      10.4   Employment Agreement dated January 26, 1993 between the Company and John J. McDonnell, as
              amended*
      10.5   Employment Agreement dated May 16, 1995 between the Company and Richard T. Kogler*
      10.6   Employment Agreement dated June 2, 1995 between the Company and Ann L. Straw*
      10.7   Employment Agreement dated May 3, 1994 between the Company and Lawrence R. Conrath*
      10.8   Employment Agreement dated as of May 31, 1996 between the Company and David C. Stoller*
      10.9   American Disposal Services, Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan*
      10.10  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its directors*
      10.11  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its executive officers*
      10.12  Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and its directors and executive
              officers*
      10.13  Form of Tax-Sharing Agreement between the Company and its executive officers*
      21.1   Subsidiaries of the Company*
      23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
      23.2   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
      23.3   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
      23.4   Consent of Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn LLP (included in exhibit 5.1)*
      24.1   Powers of Attorney*
</TABLE>
    
 
- - ------------------------
(*) Previously filed.

<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
    We  consent to the reference to our  firm under the caption "Experts" and to
the use of our report dated March 22, 1996, except Note 10, as to which the date
is May 30,  1996, included in  the Registration  Statement on Form  S-1 and  the
related  Prospectus of American Disposal Services,  Inc. for the registration of
up to 3,162,500 shares of its common stock.
 
                                             ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
July 22, 1996

<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
    We  consent to the reference to our  firm under the caption "Experts" and to
the use of our reports dated November 8, 1995 and February 9, 1996, with respect
to the  financial statements  of  the MSG  Facilities of  Envirite  Corporation,
included in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 and the related Prospectus of
American  Disposal Services, Inc. for the registration of up to 3,162,500 shares
of its common stock.
 
                                             ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 22, 1996

<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3
 
                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
    As  independent  public accountants,  we hereby  consent to  the use  of our
report and  to  all  references  to  our  Firm  included  in  this  registration
statement.
 
                                             ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
July 24, 1996


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