text: The cost of our collection operations is primarily variable and includes transfer, disposal, labor, self- 
  insurance, fuel and equipment maintenance costs. We try to be more eÇcient by controlling the movement of 
  waste streams from the point of collection through disposal. During the three months ended December 31, 
  2004, approximately 54% of the total volume of waste we collected was disposed of at landÑlls we own or 
  operate. 
  
  Our landÑll costs include daily operating expenses, costs of capital for cell development, costs for Ñnal 
  capping, closure and post-closure, and the legal and administrative costs of ongoing environmental compli- 
  ance. Daily operating expenses include leachate treatment and disposal, methane gas and groundwater 
  monitoring and system maintenance, interim cap maintenance and costs associated with the application of 
  daily cover materials. We expense all indirect landÑll development costs as they are incurred. We use life cycle 
  accounting and the units-of-consumption method to recognize certain direct landÑll costs related to cell 
  development. In life cycle accounting, certain direct costs are capitalized, and charged to expense based upon 
  
  23 