text: Intangible assets consist primarily of cost in excess of fair value of 
  net assets acquired, but also includes values assigned to long-term contracts, covenants not to compete and 
  customer relationships. Expenses for amortization of intangible assets were $7.0 million, $5.3 million and 
  $6.1 million, or, as a percentage of revenue, .3%, .2% and .2%, for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 
  and 2002, respectively. The increase in such expenses in aggregate dollars and as a percentage of revenue from 
  2003 to 2004 is primarily due to amortization expense on amounts that were recorded in other intangible assets 
  during the three months ended September 30, 2004 resulting from an extensive internal review of all recent 
  acquisitions. The increase in amortization of intangible assets in aggregate dollars is also due to the 
  amortization of intangible assets associated with businesses acquired during 2004. 
  
  *Amortization of Intangible Assets.*
  
  *Accretion expense.*Accretion expense was $13.7 million and $12.7 million or, as a percentage of 
  revenue, .5% and .5%, for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively, versus $0 for 2002. 
  Accretion expense resulted from the adoption of SFAS 143 as of January 1, 2003. The increase in such 
  expenses in aggregate dollars in 2004 is primarily due to expansion of our landÑll operations. 
  
  *Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.*Selling, general and administrative expenses were 
  $268.3 million, $247.9 million and $238.7 million, or, as a percentage of revenue, 9.9%, 9.8% and 10.1%, for 
  the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The increases in aggregate dollars are 
  primarily a result of the expansion of our operations through internal growth and acquisitions. The increase in 
  such expenses as a percentage of revenue from 2003 to 2004 is primarily due to higher compensation costs. 
  The decrease in such expenses as a percentage of revenue from 2002 to 2003 is primarily due to leveraging our 
  existing overhead structure over an expanding revenue base. 