Form 8-K - Current report

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 8, 2024

Waste Management, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware		1-12154		73-1309529
(State or Other Jurisdiction  of Incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

800 Capitol Street, Suite 3000, Houston, Texas		77002
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone number, including area code: (713) 512-6200

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value	WM	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation

As previously announced, on November 4, 2024, Stag Merger Sub Inc. (“Merger Sub”), a Delaware corporation and wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, merged with and into Stericycle, Inc. (“Stericycle”), a Delaware corporation, with Stericycle continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”) pursuant to the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 3, 2024, by and among the Company, Merger Sub and Stericycle. As a result of the Merger, Stericycle became a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the Company. Stericycle is a party to that certain Indenture, dated as of November 24, 2020 (the “Stericycle Base Indenture”), by and among Stericycle, the guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, which governs the $500 million aggregate principal amount of 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Stericycle Notes”) issued by Stericycle on November 24, 2020. On November 8, 2024 (the “Settlement Date”), the Company completed its previously announced private offer to eligible holders to exchange (the “Exchange Offer”) any and all outstanding Stericycle Notes for new notes issued by the Company and cash. The Exchange Offer was not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any state or foreign securities laws. In conjunction with the Exchange Offer, the Company solicited consents, on behalf of Stericycle (the “Consent Solicitation”), to amend the Stericycle Notes and the Stericycle Base Indenture to eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants, restrictive provisions and events of default, other than payment-related, guarantee-related and bankruptcy-related events of default (the “Amendments”). Pursuant to the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation, $485,416,000 aggregate principal amount of the Stericycle Notes were validly tendered and subsequently accepted. Such accepted Stericycle Notes have been retired and canceled and will not be reissued. Following such cancellation, $14,584,000 aggregate principal amount of the Stericycle Notes remain outstanding. The Exchange Offer has expired, and is no longer open to participation by any eligible holders of the Stericycle Notes.

Following receipt of the requisite number of consents to adopt the Amendments with respect to the Stericycle Notes and the Stericycle Base Indenture, Stericycle entered into a supplemental indenture with the trustee and the guarantor party thereto for the Stericycle Notes to effect the Amendments. The Amendments became operative upon the Settlement Date.

Issuance of Notes

In connection with the settlement of the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation, on November 8, 2024, the Company issued $485,084,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “WM Notes”).

The WM Notes are governed by an indenture, dated as of September 10, 1997, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association), as trustee (the “WM Indenture”), and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Waste Management Holdings, Inc. (“WM Holdings”). The terms of the WM Notes and the guarantee by WM Holdings are set forth in an officers’ certificate (the “Officers’ Certificate”) of the Company, delivered pursuant to the WM Indenture on the Settlement Date, and a guarantee agreement (the “Guarantee Agreement”) by WM Holdings delivered on the Settlement Date.

Copies of the WM Indenture and the Officers’ Certificate and the Guarantee Agreement are being filed as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

Registration Rights Agreement

On the Settlement Date, in connection with the completion of the Exchange Offer, the Company, WM Holdings, Barclays Capital Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as dealer managers, entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the WM Notes (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The Company agreed under the Registration Rights Agreement to, among other things, use its commercially reasonable efforts to file or cause to be filed a registration statement on an appropriate registration form with respect to a registered offer to exchange the WM Notes for new notes issued by the Company and guaranteed by WM Holdings, in each case under the WM Indenture containing terms identical to the WM Notes and the Guarantee Agreement (except that the new notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with the Registration Rights Agreement will not apply to such notes). If, among other things, the registered exchange offer is not completed prior to November 9, 2025, or a shelf registration statement is required and is not declared effective on or prior to the 60th day after the later of (i) November 9, 2025 and (ii) the date on which the Company receives a duly executed request by a dealer manager or certain holders for the filing of a shelf registration (each, a “Registration Default”), the Company shall pay additional interest on the WM Notes of 0.25% per annum beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default.

The foregoing summary of the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement attached as Exhibit 4.5 hereto, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2.03

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)

Exhibits

Exhibit Index

Exhibit Number		Description

4.1		Indenture, dated September 10, 1997, by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association), as trustee, relating to senior debt securities of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 24, 1997).
4.2		Officers’ Certificate, dated as of November 8, 2024, delivered pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Indenture establishing the terms and form of the 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029.
4.3		Form of 3.875% Senior Note due 2029 (included in Exhibit 4.2 above).
4.4		Guarantee Agreement, dated as of November 8, 2024, by WM Holdings in favor of the holders of the Company’s 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029.
4.5		Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 8, 2024, by and among the Company, Barclays Capital Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC.
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

	WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.

Date: November 8, 2024	By:	/s/ Charles C. Boettcher
		Charles C. Boettcher
		Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.
Officers’ Certificate Delivered Pursuant to
Section 301 of the Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997

November 8, 2024

The undersigned, the Vice President and Treasurer, and the Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Waste Management, Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certify that:

1.            This Officers’ Certificate (this “Certificate”) is delivered to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), pursuant to Sections 102 and 301 of the Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997 between the Company, formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc., and the Trustee (the “Indenture”) in connection with the Company Order dated November 8, 2024 (the “Order”) for the authentication and delivery by the Trustee of $485,084,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Initial Notes” and, together with any Additional Notes (as defined herein) issued pursuant to this Certificate and any Exchange Notes (as defined in Exhibit A to this Certificate), the “Notes”).

2.            The undersigned have read Sections 102, 103, 301 and 303 of the Indenture and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto.

3.            The statements made herein are based either upon the personal knowledge of the persons making this Certificate or on information, data and reports furnished to such persons by the officers, counsel, department heads or employees of the Company who have knowledge of the facts involved.

4.            The undersigned have examined the Order, and they have read the covenants, conditions and provisions of the Indenture relating thereto.

5.            In the opinion of the persons making this Certificate, they have made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable them to express an informed opinion as to whether or not all covenants and conditions provided for in the Indenture with respect to the Order have been complied with.

6.            All covenants and conditions (including all conditions precedent) provided in the Indenture to the authentication and delivery by the Trustee of $485,084,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes have been complied with, and such Notes may be delivered in accordance with the Order as provided in the Indenture.

7.            The terms of the Notes (including the Form of Note) as set forth in Annex A to this Certificate have been approved by officers of the Company as authorized by resolutions duly adopted on August 26, 2024 and October 3, 2024 by the Board of Directors of the Company, which are in full force and effect as of the date hereof.

[signature page follows]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto executed this Certificate as of the date first written above.

	/s/ Leslie K. Nagy
	Leslie K. Nagy
	Vice President and Treasurer

	/s/ Courtney A. Tippy
	Courtney A. Tippy
	Vice President and Corporate Secretary

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.

Officers’ Certificate Delivered Pursuant to

Section 301 of the Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997

Signature Page

Annex A
Terms of the Notes

Pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Directors of the Company on August 26, 2024 and October 3, 2024 and the Sole Director of Waste Management Holdings, Inc. on September 5, 2024, the Company has approved the establishment, issuance, execution and delivery of a new series of Securities (as defined in the Indenture) to be issued under the Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997 (the “Indenture”), between the Company, formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc., and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), the terms of which are set forth below. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein are used herein as defined in the Indenture.

(1)

The title of the series of Securities shall be “3.875% Senior Notes due 2029” (the “Notes”).

(2)

The Notes shall be general unsecured, senior obligations of the Company.

(3)

The Notes issued on the date hereof shall be transferred by the Company in connection with the settlement of the Company’s private offer to exchange any and all of the $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of the 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 issued by Stericycle, Inc., a Delaware corporation, for the Notes (the “Stericycle Exchange Offer”) to (a) “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A), in reliance on Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and (b) persons other than U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S (“Regulation S”) promulgated under the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with Exhibit A to this Certificate.

(4)

The initial aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $485,084,000 (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 of the Indenture); provided, however, that the authorized aggregate principal amount of such series may be increased before or after the issuance of any Notes of such series by a Board Resolution (or action pursuant to a Board Resolution) to such effect.

(5)

The principal amount of each Note shall be payable on January 15, 2029.

(6)

Each Note shall bear interest from July 15, 2024 at the fixed rate of 3.875% per annum and the Company shall pay Additional Interest (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in Exhibit A to this Certificate)), if any, payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement; the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable shall be January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing January 15, 2025, until maturity, unless such date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, in which case, such payment shall be made on the next day that is a Business Day. The Regular Record Date for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable shall be January 1 or July 1, respectively, immediately preceding such date, as the case may be.

Annex A-1

(7)

The Company may issue, from time to time subsequent to the date hereof in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, additional notes of the Initial Notes (such notes, the “Additional Notes”) or the Exchange Notes issued in exchange for the Initial Notes of the same series as the Notes.

(8)

If a “Change of Control Triggering Event” (as defined in the Notes) occurs, each Holder of the Notes may require the Company to purchase all or a portion of such Holder’s Notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount, plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of purchase, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Notes.

(9)

The Notes are to be issued as Registered Securities only. Each Note is to be issued as a book-entry note (“Book-Entry Note”) but in certain circumstances may be represented by Notes in definitive form. The Book-Entry Notes shall be issued, in whole or in part, in the form of one or more Notes in global form as contemplated by Section 203 of the Indenture. The Depositary with respect to the Book-Entry Notes shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York.

(10)

Payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest due on the Notes representing Book-Entry Notes on any Interest Payment Date or at maturity will be made available to the Trustee by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, unless such date falls on a day which is not a Business Day, in which case such payments will be made available to the Trustee by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next Business Day. As soon as possible thereafter, the Trustee will make such payments to the Depositary.

(11)

Prior to the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(1) (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined in the Notes), plus 10 basis points, less (b) interest accrued to the Redemption Date, and

(2) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed,

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

“Par Call Date” means December 15, 2028.

(12)

The Company shall have no obligation to redeem, purchase or repay the Notes pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof.

Annex A-2

(13)

The Notes will be subject to defeasance and discharge as contemplated by Section 1302 of the Indenture and to covenant defeasance under Section 1303 of the Indenture.

(14)

The Notes shall be entitled to the benefit of the covenants contained in Sections 1008 and 1009 of the Indenture.

(15)

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. shall serve initially as Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes.

(16)

The Notes shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

(17)

The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Waste Management Holdings, Inc., pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Guarantee Agreement dated November 8, 2024 (the “Guarantee”). The amount of the Guarantee will be limited to the extent required under applicable fraudulent conveyance laws to cause the Guarantee to be enforceable. The terms and conditions of the Guarantee shall continue in full force and effect for the benefit of holders of the Notes until release thereof as set forth in Section 6 of the Guarantee.

(18)

The Notes shall be subject to the satisfaction and discharge provisions set forth in Section 401 of the Indenture, as such provisions are supplemented or modified by the terms and conditions set forth in the Notes in accordance with the Indenture.

(19)

Additional provisions relating to the Notes are set forth in Exhibit A, which is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Certificate. Solely with respect to the Notes but not any other series of Securities which may be issued under the Indenture, the transfer and exchange provisions of Section 305 of the Indenture, solely to the extent they conflict with the provisions of Exhibit A, are hereby superseded by the provisions of Exhibit A.

Annex A-3

Exhibit A

Provisions Relating to Initial Notes, Additional Notes and Exchange Notes

Section 1.1            Definitions.

(a) Capitalized Terms.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Exhibit A have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. The following capitalized terms have the following meanings:

“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Note or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Global Note, Euroclear or Clearstream, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.

“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme, or any successor securities clearing agency.

“Definitive Note” means a certificated Initial Note, Additional Note or Exchange Note issued pursuant to the Indenture (bearing the Restricted Notes Legend if the transfer of such Note is restricted by applicable law) that does not include the Global Notes Legend.

“Distribution Compliance Period,” with respect to any Note, means the period beginning on November 8, 2024 and ending 40 days thereafter.

“Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear systems Clearance System or any successor securities clearing agency.

“Exchange Note” means notes issued in an Exchange Offer pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

“Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

“Notes Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

“Registration Rights Agreement” means (i) the registration rights agreement, dated as of November 8, 2024 among the Company, Waste Management Holdings, Inc., and the dealer managers party thereto and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more substantially similar registration rights agreements among the Company, Waste Management Holdings, Inc., and the other parties thereto, as such agreements may be amended from time to time.

“Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Exhibit A-1

“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

“Transfer Restricted Notes” means Definitive Notes and any Notes in global form that bear or are required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

“Unrestricted Global Note” means any Note in global form that does not bear or is not required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

“U.S. person” means a “U.S. person” as defined in Regulation S.

(b) Other Definitions.

Term:	Defined in Section:
“Agent Members”	2.1(c)
“Definitive Notes Legend”	2.2(e)
“ERISA Legend”	2.2(b)
“Global Note”	2.1(b)
“Global Notes Legend”	2.2(e)
“OID Notes Legend”	2.2(e)
“Regulation S Global Note”	2.1(b)
“Regulation S Notes”	2.1(a)
“Restricted Notes Legend”	2.2(e)
“Rule 144A Global Note”	2.1(b)
“Rule 144A Notes”	2.1(a)

Section 2.1            Form and Dating

(a) The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof shall be transferred by the Company in connection with the settlement of the Stericycle Exchange Offer to (1) “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A) in reliance on Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Notes”) and (2) Persons other than U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S (“Regulation S Notes”). Additional Notes may also be considered to be Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as applicable.

(b) Global Notes. Rule 144A Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more permanent Global Notes in definitive, fully registered form, numbered RA-1 upward (collectively, the “Rule 144A Global Note”) and Regulation S Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Global Notes, numbered RS-1 upward (collectively, the “Regulation S Global Note”), in each case without interest coupons and bearing the Global Notes Legend and Restricted Notes Legend, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Notes Custodian, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the Indenture. The Rule 144A Global Note, the Regulation S Global Note and any Unrestricted Global Note are each referred to herein as a “Global Note” and are collectively referred to herein as “Global Notes.” Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Definitive Security” attached thereto and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.2(b) of this Exhibit A.

Exhibit A-2

(c) Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 2.1(c) shall apply only to a Global Note deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary.

The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 2.1(c) and Section 303 of the Indenture and pursuant to a Company Order signed by one authorized officer of the Company, authenticate and deliver initially one or more Global Notes that (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or Global Notes or the nominee of such Depositary and (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions or held by the Trustee as Notes Custodian.

Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under the Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Trustee as Notes Custodian or under such Global Note, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

(d) Definitive Notes. Except as provided in Section 2.2 or Section 2.3 of this Exhibit A, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Notes.

Section 2.2            Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. When Definitive Notes are presented to the Security Registrar with a Company Request:

(i) to register the transfer of such Definitive Notes; or

(ii) to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations,

the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Definitive Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange:

(1) shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing; and

Exhibit A-3

(2) in the case of Transfer Restricted Notes, they are being transferred or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to Section 2.2(b) of this Exhibit A or otherwise in accordance with the Restricted Notes Legend, and are accompanied by a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto.

(b) Restrictions on Transfer of a Definitive Note for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Note. A Definitive Note may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by the Trustee of a Definitive Note, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, together with:

(i) a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto; and

(ii) written instructions directing the Trustee to make, or to direct the Notes Custodian to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to such Global Note to reflect an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented by the Global Note, such instructions to contain information regarding the Depositary account to be credited with such increase,

the Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Note and cause, or direct the Notes Custodian to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between the Depositary and the Notes Custodian, the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented by the Global Note to be increased by the aggregate principal amount of the Definitive Note to be exchanged and shall credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Global Note equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Note so canceled. If the applicable Global Note is not then outstanding, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon Company Order in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, a new applicable Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

(i) The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the Indenture (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 2.2(d) of this Exhibit A, if any) and the procedures of the Depositary therefor. A transferor of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall deliver to the Security Registrar a written order given in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures containing information regarding the participant account of the Depositary to be credited with a beneficial interest in such Global Note, or another Global Note, and such account shall be credited in accordance with such order with a beneficial interest in the applicable Global Note and the account of the Person making the transfer shall be debited by an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Global Note being transferred.

Exhibit A-4

(ii) If the proposed transfer is a transfer of a beneficial interest in one Global Note to a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note to which such interest is being transferred in an amount equal to the principal amount of the interest to be so transferred, and the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and a corresponding decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note from which such interest is being transferred.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Exhibit A (other than the provisions set forth in Section 2.3 of this Exhibit A), a Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole and not in part if the transfer is by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

(d) Restrictions on Transfer of Global Notes; Voluntary Exchange of Interests in Transfer Restricted Global Notes for Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.

(i) Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through another Transfer Restricted Global Note shall be made in accordance with the Applicable Procedures and the Restricted Notes Legend and only upon receipt by the Trustee of a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto. In addition, in the case of a transfer of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note, the transferee must furnish a certification or a signed letter in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate to the Trustee.

(ii) During the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Regulation S Global Note may only be sold, pledged or transferred through Euroclear or Clearstream in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Restricted Notes Legend on such Regulation S Global Note and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States of America. Prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note shall be made only in accordance with the Applicable Procedures and the Restricted Notes Legend and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate for exchange or registration of transfers and, in the case of a transfer to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through a Rule 144A Global Note, the transferee must furnish a certification or a signed letter in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate to the Trustee. Such written certifications or letter shall no longer be required after the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period. Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Regulation S Global Note shall be transferable in accordance with applicable law and the other terms of the Indenture.

Exhibit A-5

(iii) Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note upon certification in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate for an exchange from a Regulation S Global Note to an Unrestricted Global Note.

(iv) Beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Rule 144A Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note (a) if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate) and/or upon delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request or (b) if the Company undertakes a mandatory exchange of such Transfer Restricted Note in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, upon consummation of such mandatory exchange.

(v) If no Unrestricted Global Note is outstanding at the time of a transfer contemplated by the preceding clauses (iii) and (iv), the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon Company Order in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, a new Unrestricted Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

(e) Legends.

(i) Except as permitted by Section 2.2(d), this Section 2.2(e) and Section 2.2(i) of this Exhibit A, each Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) sold pursuant to Rule 144A shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only) (“Rule 144A Legend”):

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

Exhibit A-6

BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER,” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH, OFFERS AND SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT U.S. PERSONS WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATIONS AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.

Each Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) sold pursuant to Regulation S shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only) (“Regulation S Legend” and, together with the Rule 144A Legend, the “Restricted Notes Legend”):

Exhibit A-7

BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“REGULATION S”), AND (2) AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE DATE THE SECURITIES ARE OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S) AND THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF (SUCH PERIOD, THE “40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD”), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT U.S. PERSONS WITHIN THE MEANING OF, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH, REGULATION S, (E) PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATIONS AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION,” “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S.

Each Definitive Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Definitive Notes Legend”):

IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

Each Global Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Global Notes Legend”):

THIS SECURITY IS A BOOK-ENTRY SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITORY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITORY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

Exhibit A-8

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS IN THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF AND IN THIS CERTIFICATE.

Each Note shall bear the following additional legend (“ERISA Legend”):

BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED THAT EITHER (A) NO PORTION OF THE ASSETS USED BY SUCH HOLDER TO ACQUIRE AND HOLD THIS SECURITY CONSTITUTES ASSETS OF AN “EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN” AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(3) OF THE U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED (“ERISA”) THAT IS SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF ERISA, OF ANY PLAN, ACCOUNT OR OTHER ARRANGEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) OR ANY PROVISIONS UNDER ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR OTHER LAWS OR REGULATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SUCH PROVISIONS OF ERISA OR THE CODE (“SIMILAR LAWS”), OR OF ANY ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE “PLAN ASSETS” OF ANY SUCH PLAN, ACCOUNT OR ARRANGEMENT, OR (B) THE PURCHASE AND HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY BY SUCH HOLDER WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A NONEXEMPT PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE OR A VIOLATION UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SIMILAR LAWS.

Exhibit A-9

Any Note issued with original issue discount will also bear the following additional legend (“OID Notes Legend”):

THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ISSUED WITH “ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1273 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED) FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE COMPANY WILL PROMPTLY MAKE AVAILABLE TO ANY HOLDER OF THIS NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (1) THE ISSUE PRICE AND DATE OF THE NOTE, (2) THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT ON THE NOTE AND (3) THE YIELD TO MATURITY OF THE NOTE. HOLDERS SHOULD CONTACT THE TREASURER OF THE COMPANY AT 800 CAPITOL STREET, SUITE 3000, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002.

(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Security Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and the Definitive Notes Legend and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit B to this Certificate) and provides such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(iii) After a transfer of any Initial Notes or Additional Notes during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) with respect to such Initial Notes or Additional Notes, as the case may be, all requirements pertaining to the Restricted Notes Legend on such Initial Notes or Additional Notes shall cease to apply and the requirements that any such Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

(iv) Upon the consummation of an Exchange Offer with respect to the Initial Notes or Additional Notes pursuant to which Holders of such Initial Notes or Additional Notes are offered Exchange Notes in exchange for their Initial Notes or Additional Notes, all requirements pertaining to Initial Notes or Additional Notes that Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply, and Exchange Notes in global form without the Restricted Notes Legend shall be available to Holders that exchange such Initial Notes or Additional Notes in such Exchange Offer.

(v) Any Additional Notes sold in a registered offering shall not be required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(f) Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note. At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be returned by the Depositary to the Trustee for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Notes Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, to reflect such reduction.

Exhibit A-10

(g) Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Notes.

(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate, Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Security Registrar’s request.

(ii) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax, assessments, or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 304, 906 or 1107 of the Indenture not involving any transfer).

(iii) Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(iv) All Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of the Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

(v) In order to effect any transfer or exchange of an interest in any Transfer Restricted Note for an interest in a Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and has not been registered under the Securities Act, if the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel, in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that no registration under the Securities Act is required in respect of such exchange or transfer or the re-sale of such interest by the beneficial holder thereof, shall be required to be delivered to the Security Registrar and the Trustee.

(h) No Obligation of the Trustee.

(i) The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depositary or any other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depositary or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than the Depositary) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Notes, or compliance with restrictions on transfer imposed under the Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Security). All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Notes shall be given or made only to the registered Holders (which shall be the Depositary or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through the Depositary subject to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in conclusively relying upon information furnished by the Depositary with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

Exhibit A-11

(ii) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of the Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

(iii) Neither the Trustee nor any Agent shall have any responsibility or liability for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

(iv) The terms of this Section 2.2 shall control over any terms to the contrary in the Indenture.

(i) Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 303 of the Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Global Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amounts of the beneficial interests in the Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certifications as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certification as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer. Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Notes with the Restricted Notes Legend to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Persons designated by the Holders of the Definitive Notes so accepted Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in the applicable principal amount. Any Notes that remain outstanding after the consummation of the Exchange Offer, and Exchange Notes issued in connection with the Exchange Offer, shall be treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture.

Exhibit A-12

Section 2.3            Definitive Notes.

(a) A Global Note deposited with the Depositary or with the Trustee as Notes Custodian pursuant to Section 2.1 of this Exhibit A or issued in connection with an Exchange Offer may be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Note, in exchange for such Global Note, only if such transfer complies with Section 2.2 of this Exhibit A and (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for such Global Note or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act and, in each case, a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or after the Company becomes aware of such cessation, or (ii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Security Registrar has received a request from the Depository. In addition, any Affiliate of the Company that is a beneficial owner of all or part of a Global Note may have such Affiliate’s beneficial interest transferred to such Affiliate in the form of a Definitive Note by providing a written request to the Company and the Trustee and such Opinions of Counsel, certificates or other information as may be required by the Indenture or the Company or Trustee.

(b) Any Global Note that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be surrendered by the Depositary to the Trustee, to be so transferred, in whole or from time to time in part, without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Any portion of a Global Note transferred pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct. Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note that is a Transfer Restricted Note shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 2.2(e) of this Exhibit A, bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(c) The registered Holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Notes.

(d) In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 2.3(a) of this Exhibit A, the Company shall promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes in fully registered form without interest coupons.

Exhibit A-13

Exhibit B

Form of Note

Exhibit B-1

[Global Note Legend]

[Definitive Notes Legend]

[ERISA Legend]

[OID Notes Legend]

[Rule 144A Legend]

[Regulation S Legend]

No.		Principal Amount
	WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.	$             , which may be decreased by the Schedule of Exchanges of Definitive Security attached hereto

	3.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2029
		CUSIP__________

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company,” which term includes any successors under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO. or registered assigns, at the office or agency of the Company, the principal sum of              Million ($             ) U.S. dollars, or such lesser principal sum as is shown on the attached Schedule of Exchanges of Definitive Security, on January 15, 2029 in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest at an annual rate of 3.875% payable on January 15 and July 15 of each year, to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest, which shall be the preceding January 1 or July 1, respectively, payable commencing January 15, 2025, with interest accruing from July 15, 2024, or the most recent date to which interest has been paid.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

The statements in the legends set forth above are an integral part of the terms of this Security and by acceptance hereof the Holder of this Security agrees to be subject to, and bound by, the terms and provisions set forth in each such legend.

This Security is issued in respect of a series of Securities of an initial aggregate of $485,084,000 in principal amount designated as the 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 of the Company and is governed by the Indenture dated as of September 10, 1997, duly executed and delivered by the Company, formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc., to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association) as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Board Resolutions (as defined in the Indenture) (such Indenture and Board Resolutions, collectively, the “Indenture”). The terms of the Indenture are incorporated herein by reference. This Security shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits as definitive Securities under the Indenture.

If and to the extent that any provision of the Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with any other provision of the Indenture that is required to be included in the Indenture or is deemed applicable to the Indenture by virtue of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, such required provision shall control.

The Company hereby irrevocably undertakes to the Holder hereof to exchange this Security in accordance with the terms of the Indenture without charge.

This Security shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been manually signed by the Trustee under the Indenture.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:	WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.,
	a Delaware corporation

	By:
		Leslie K. Nagy
		Vice President and Treasurer

	Attest:

	By:
		Courtney A. Tippy
		Vice President and Corporate Secretary

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Date of Authentication:	The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee

	By:
		Authorized Officer

REVERSE OF BOOK-ENTRY SECURITY

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.

3.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2029

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of the Company (the “Debt Securities”) of the series hereinafter specified, all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to the Indenture, to which Indenture reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of the Debt Securities. The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series, which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest (if any) at different rates, may be subject to different sinking, purchase or analogous funds (if any) and may otherwise vary as provided in the Indenture. This Security is one of a series designated as the 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 of the Company, in initial aggregate principal amount of $485,084,000 (the “Securities”).

1.            Interest.

The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Security at the rate of 3.875% per annum and Additional Interest (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), if any, payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

The Company will pay interest semi-annually on January 15 and July 15 of each year (each an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing January 15, 2025. Interest on the Securities will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid on the Securities, from July 15, 2024. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy laws) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace period) and on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand at the rate of 3.875% per annum, in each case to the extent lawful.

2.            Method of Payment.

The Company shall pay interest on the Securities (except Defaulted Interest) to the persons who are the registered Holders at the close of business on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) may be paid to the persons who are registered Holders at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, or in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may then be listed if such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee, as more fully provided in the Indenture. Except as provided below, the Company shall pay principal and interest in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for payment of public and private debts (“U.S. Legal Tender”). Payments in respect of a Book-Entry Security (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depository. Payments in respect of Securities in definitive form (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose within the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, which initially will be at the corporate trust office of The Bank of New York Mellon, located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10286 or at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders on the Regular Record Date or on the Special Record Date at their addresses set forth in the Security Register of Holders.

3.            Paying Agent and Registrar.

Initially, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar at any time upon notice to the Trustee and the Holders. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may, subject to certain exceptions, act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar.

4.            Indenture.

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Debt Securities of the Company issued and to be issued in one or more series under the Indenture.

Capitalized terms herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless otherwise defined herein. The terms of the Securities include those stated in the Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto, those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in effect on the date of the Indenture, and those terms stated in the Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee, duly authorized by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company on August 26, 2024 and October 3, 2024 (the “Resolutions”) and the written consent of the Sole Director of Waste Management Holdings, Inc. on September 5, 2024 (the “Consent”). The Securities are subject to all such terms, and Holders of Securities are referred to the Indenture, all indentures supplemental thereto, said Act, said Resolutions and said Consent and Officers’ Certificate for a statement of them. The Securities of this series are general unsecured obligations of the Company limited with an initial aggregate principal amount of $485,084,000.

5.            Redemption.

Prior to the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Securities at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(1) (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Securities matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 10 basis points, less (b) interest accrued to the Redemption Date, and

(2) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed,

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Securities at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

“Par Call Date” means December 15, 2028.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) - H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date H.15 TCM or any successor designation or publication is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Company will notify the Trustee of the Redemption Price promptly after the calculation thereof and the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any calculation of the Redemption Price or of any component thereof, or for determining whether manifest error has occurred.

Securities called for redemption become due on the Redemption Date. Notices of redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures) at least 10 but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each holder of record of the Securities to be redeemed at its registered address. The notice of redemption for the Securities will state, among other things, the amount of Securities to be redeemed, the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price or, if not ascertainable, the manner of determining the Redemption Price and the place(s) that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of Securities to be redeemed. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, interest will cease to accrue on any Securities that have been called for redemption at the Redemption Date. If less than all the Securities are redeemed at any time, the Trustee will select the Securities to be redeemed on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion deems appropriate and fair. In the case of Securities in global form, the Depositary will determine the allocation of the Redemption Price among beneficial owners in such global Securities in accordance with the Depositary’s applicable procedures.

Except as set forth above, the Securities will not be redeemable prior to their Stated Maturity and will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

The Securities may be redeemed in part in a minimum principal amount of $2,000, or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Any such redemption will also comply with Article Eleven of the Indenture.

6.            Change of Control Offer.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Securities as described in Section 5, the Company shall make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder of the Securities to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Securities on the terms set forth herein. In a Change of Control Offer, the Company shall offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities repurchased (a “Change of Control Payment”), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Securities repurchased to the date of repurchase, subject to the right of holders of record on the applicable record date to receive interest due on the next Interest Payment Date.

Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after public announcement of the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to Holders of the Securities describing the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase such Securities on the date specified in the applicable notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (a “Change of Control Payment Date”). The notice may, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Triggering Event occurring on or prior to the applicable Change of Control Payment Date.

Upon the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

accept for payment all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered; and

deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Securities properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities or portions of Securities being repurchased.

The Company need not make a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and the third party repurchases all Securities properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer. In addition, the Company shall not repurchase any Securities if there has occurred and is continuing on the Change of Control Payment Date an Event of Default under the Indenture, other than a default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment upon a Change of Control Triggering Event.

The Company will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Securities as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions of this Security, the Company will comply with those securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Offer provisions of this Security by virtue of any such conflict.

For purposes of the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Securities, the following terms are applicable:

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or more series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets and the assets of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any person, other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or other Voting Stock into which the Company’s Voting Stock is reclassified, consolidated, exchanged or changed, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; (3) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any person, or any person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or the Voting Stock of such other person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Voting Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Stock of the surviving person or any direct or indirect parent company of the surviving person, measured by voting power rather than number of shares, immediately after giving effect to such transaction; or (4) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the preceding, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control under clause (2) above if (i) the Company becomes a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company and (ii)(A) the direct or indirect holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to that transaction or (B) immediately following that transaction no person (other than a holding company satisfying the requirements of this sentence) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such holding company. The term “person,” as used in this definition, has the meaning given thereto in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Rating Event.

“Fitch” means Fitch Inc. and its successors.

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch, Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Company.

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.

“Rating Agencies” means (1) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P and (2) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Securities or fails to make a rating of the Securities publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company) as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

“Rating Event” means the rating on the Securities is lowered by at least two of the three Rating Agencies and the Securities are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies, in any case on any day during the period (which period will be extended so long as the rating of the Securities is under publicly announced consideration for a possible downgrade by any of the rating agencies) commencing 60 days prior to the first public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control or the Company’s intention to effect a Change of Control and ending 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control.

“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc., and its successors.

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any specified “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date, the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

7.            Denominations; Transfer; Exchange.

The Securities are issued in registered form, without coupons, in a minimum denomination of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may register the transfer of, or exchange, Securities in accordance with the Indenture and the Officers’ Certificate. The Securities Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.

8.            Person Deemed Owners.

The registered Holder of a Security may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

9.            Amendment; Supplement; Waiver.

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture may be amended or supplemented, and any existing Event of Default or compliance with any provision may be waived, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected. Without consent of any Holder, the parties thereto may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or make any other change that does not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of a Security in any material respect. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of this Security and any Securities which may be issued in exchange or substitution herefor, irrespective of whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this Security or such other Securities.

10.          Defaults and Remedies.

If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding may declare the principal amount of all the Securities to be due and payable immediately in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, however, if at any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made and before judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as provided in the Indenture, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if (1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay (A) all overdue interest on all Securities, (B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate prescribed therefor herein, (C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate prescribed therefor herein, and (D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and (2) all Events of Default under the Indenture with respect to the Securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal of Securities which has become due solely by such declaration acceleration, shall have been cured or shall have been waived. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or shall impair any right consequent thereon. Holders of Securities may not enforce the Indenture or the Securities except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Securities. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power.

11.          Trustee Dealings with Company.

The Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Company and its Affiliates and any subsidiary of the Company’s Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Company and its Affiliates as if it were not the Trustee.

12.          Authentication.

This Security shall not be valid until the Trustee or authenticating agent signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Security.

13.          Abbreviations and Defined Terms.

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder of a Security or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (tenant in common), TEN ENT (tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (Custodian), and U/G/M/A (Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

14.          CUSIP Numbers.

Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Securities as a convenience to the Holders of the Securities. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such number as printed on the Securities and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed hereon.

15.          Absolute Obligation.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Security in the manner, at the respective times, at the rate and in the coin or currency herein prescribed.

16.          No Recourse.

No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in the Indenture or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, past, present or future stockholder, officer or director, as such of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Security by the Holder and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Security.

17.          Additional Rights of Holders.

In addition to the rights provided to Holders under the Indenture, Holders shall have all the rights set forth in a Registration Rights Agreement, including the right to receive Additional Interest, if any.

18.          Governing Law.

This Security shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

19.          Guarantee.

The Securities will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Waste Management Holdings, Inc., pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Guarantee, dated as of November 8, 2024 (the “Guarantee”). The amount of the Guarantee will be limited to the extent required under applicable fraudulent conveyance laws to cause the Guarantee to be enforceable. The terms and conditions of the Guarantee shall continue in full force and effect for the benefit of holders of the Securities until release thereof as set forth in Section 6 of the Guarantee.

20.          Satisfaction and Discharge.

The Securities will be subject to Section 401 of the Indenture; provided, however, that solely with respect to the Securities, Section 401(1)(B) of the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“(B) all such Securities and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below, any coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:

(i)            have become due and payable, or

(ii)           will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(iii)          are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company;

and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds, U.S. Legal Tender, U.S. Governmental Obligations or a combination thereof, an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and coupons not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium, if any) and any interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be (provided that, upon any redemption that requires the payment of any make-whole or other premium, (x) the amount of cash that must be deposited shall be determined using an assumed applicable premium calculated as of the date of such deposit and (y) the Company shall deposit any deficit in trust on or prior to the Redemption Date as necessary to pay the applicable premium as determined by such date). For purposes of this section, “U.S. Governmental Obligations” means direct non-callable obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America for the payment of which guarantee or obligations the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged.”

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF DEFINITIVE SECURITY

The following exchanges of a part of this Book-Entry Security for definitive Securities have been made:

Date of Exchange

Amount of
decrease in
Principal Amount
of this Book-Entry
Security

Amount of
increase in
Principal Amount
of this Book-Entry
Security

Principal Amount
of this Book-Entry
Security following
such decrease (or
increase)

Signature of
authorized officer
of Trustee or
Security Custodian

Exhibit 4.4

Execution Version

GUARANTEE

BY WASTE MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS, INC.

(formerly known as Waste Management, Inc.)

in Favor of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee for the Holders
of Certain Debt Securities of

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.

$485,084,000
3.875% Senior Notes due 2029

November 8, 2024

GUARANTEE, dated as of November 8, 2024 (as amended from time to time, this “Guarantee”), made by Waste Management Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as Waste Management, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor”), in favor of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee for the holders of the $485,084,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Debt Securities”) of Waste Management, Inc. (formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).

WITNESSETH:

Section 1. Guarantee.

(a)            The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Debt Securities and any amounts and obligations due and payable with respect to the Debt Securities under Section 607 of the Indenture (as amended, modified or otherwise supplemented from time to time, the “Indenture”), dated as of September 10, 1997, between the Issuer, as successor to USA Waste Services, Inc., and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the current successor to Texas Commerce Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”) (the “Obligations”), according to the terms of the Debt Securities and the Indenture, as applicable.

(b)            It is the intention of the Guarantor that this Guarantee not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to this Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the amount guaranteed by the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Guarantor (other than guarantees of the Guarantor in respect of subordinated debt) that are relevant under such laws, result in the Obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. For purposes hereof, “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Section 2. Guarantee Absolute. The Guarantor guarantees that the Obligations will be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, regardless of any law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of holders of the Debt Securities with respect thereto. The liability of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of:

(i)             any lack of validity or enforceability of the Indenture, the Debt Securities or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto;

(ii)            any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from the Indenture;

(iii)           any exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from any other guaranty, for all or any of the Obligations; or

(iv)           any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Issuer or a guarantor.

Section 3. Subordination. The Guarantor covenants and agrees that its obligation to make payments of the Obligations hereunder constitutes an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor ranking (a) pari passu with all existing and future senior indebtedness of the Guarantor and (b) senior in right of payment to all existing and future subordinated indebtedness of the Guarantor.

Section 4. Waiver; Subrogation.

(a)            The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee, diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of merger or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding filed first against the Issuer, protest or notice with respect to the Debt Securities or the indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever.

(b)            The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Trustee or the holders of any Debt Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to the Trustee or such holder by the Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of this Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce, or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all Obligations shall have been paid in full.

Section 5. No Waiver, Remedies. No failure on the part of the Trustee or any holder of the Debt Securities to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

Section 6. Continuing Guarantee; Transfer of Interest. This Guarantee is a continuing guaranty and shall (i) remain in full force and effect until the earliest to occur of (A) the date, if any, on which the Guarantor shall consolidate with or merge into the Issuer or any successor thereto, (B) the date, if any, on which the Issuer or any successor thereto shall consolidate with or merge into the Guarantor, (C) payment in full of the Obligations and (D) the release by the lenders under the Seventh Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of May 8, 2024 by and among the Issuer, Waste Management of Canada Corporation, WM Quebec Inc., the Guarantor (as guarantor), certain banks party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent (or under any replacement or new principal credit facility of the Issuer) of the guarantees of the Guarantor thereunder, (ii) be binding upon the Guarantor, its successors and assigns, and (iii) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by any holder of Debt Securities, the Trustee, and by their respective successors, transferees, and assigns.

Section 7. Reinstatement. This Guarantee shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment of any of the Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be returned by any holder of the Debt Securities or the Trustee upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Issuer or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

Section 8. Amendment. The Guarantor may amend this Guarantee at any time for any purpose without the consent of the Trustee or any holder of the Debt Securities; provided, however, that if such amendment adversely affects the rights of the Trustee or any holder of the Debt Securities, the prior written consent of the Trustee shall be required.

Section 9. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PROVISIONS THEREOF RELATING TO CONFLICT OF LAWS.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Guarantor has caused this Guarantee to be duly executed and delivered by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written.

	WASTE MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS, INC.

	By:	/s/ Leslie K. Nagy
		Leslie K. Nagy
		Vice President and Treasurer

	By:	/s/ Courtney A. Tippy
		Courtney A. Tippy
		Vice President and Secretary

Signature Page to Guarantee

(3.875% Senior Notes due 2029)

Exhibit 4.5

Execution Version

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

November 8, 2024

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of November 8, 2024 (this “Agreement”), is entered into by and among Waste Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Waste Management Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Guarantor”), Barclays Capital Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, as dealer managers (the “Dealer Managers”), in connection with the Stericycle Notes Exchange Offer (as defined below).

The Company and the Dealer Managers are parties to the Dealer Manager Agreement, dated September 10, 2024 (the “Dealer Manager Agreement”), in connection with the Company’s offer to exchange (the “Stericycle Notes Exchange Offer”) any and all outstanding Stericycle Notes (as defined herein) for up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of new notes to be issued by the Company (the “WM Notes”). The WM Notes will be issued by the Company under an indenture, dated as of September 10, 1997 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as the current successor to the initial trustee, Texas Commerce Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and the terms of the WM Notes will be set forth in and the WM Notes will be issued pursuant to a resolution of the Company’s board of directors and an accompanying officers’ certificate, dated as of the date hereof (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The WM Notes will be unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor (the “WM Guarantees”). The WM Notes and the WM Guarantees are herein collectively referred to as the “WM Securities.”

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.            Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:

“Additional Interest” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(e)(iii) hereof.

“Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Business Day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed. For purposes of this Agreement, if the day on which any deadline specified in this Agreement expires is not a Business Day, such deadline shall be deemed to expire on the next succeeding Business Day.

“Closing Date” shall mean the settlement date of the Stericycle Notes Exchange Offer.

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Dealer Manager Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Dealer Managers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

“Exchange Dates” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(a)(iii)(B) hereof.

“Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section ‎2(a) hereof.

“Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section ‎2(a) hereof.

“Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form as selected by the Company) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

“Exchange Securities” shall mean senior unsecured notes issued by the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantor, in each case under the Indenture containing and terms identical to the Registrable Securities (except that such notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and any Additional Interest for failure to comply with this Agreement applicable to the Registrable Securities will not apply to such notes) and to be offered to Holders of Registrable Securities in exchange for the WM Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the WM Securities or the Exchange Securities.

“Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Holder Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(b) hereof.

“Holders” shall mean the holders of the Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Section ‎4 and Section ‎6 hereof, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

“Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎5(c) hereof.

“Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎5(c) hereof.

“Indenture” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎3(a)(xiv) hereof.

“Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎5(a) hereof.

“Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its “affiliates” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided, further, that if the Company shall issue any additional WM Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional WM Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

“Participating Broker-Dealers” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎4(a) hereof.

“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including: (i) any preliminary prospectus, and (ii) any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

“Registrable Securities” shall mean the WM Securities; provided that any WM Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities: (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such WM Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such WM Securities have been exchanged, disposed of or distributed pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such WM Securities cease to be outstanding, or (iii) when the Exchange Offer is consummated, except in the case of WM Securities that otherwise remain Registrable Securities that are held by a Holder that was ineligible to participate in the Exchange Offer or participated in the Exchange Offer and did not receive fully tradable Exchange Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

“Registration Default” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Exchange Offer of the Exchange Securities for all WM Securities validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Date or, if a Shelf Registration Statement is required, such Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 60th day after the later of (a) the Target Registration Date and (b) the date on which the Company receives a duly executed Holder Notice or Shelf Request or (ii) if applicable, a Shelf Registration Statement covering resales of the WM Securities has been declared effective and such Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective or the prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable for resales of Registrable Securities at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or be so usable exists for more than 90 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period.

“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of one firm of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, which firm shall be selected by the Underwriters or the Majority Holders), (iii) all expenses of the Company in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements, and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees incurred by the Company (including with respect to maintaining ratings of the WM Securities), (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee, (vii) the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable and documented fees (not to exceed $50,000) and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding any or all fees and expenses of advisors or counsel to any Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders, any underwriting discounts and commissions, and any brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

“SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

“Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(c) hereof.

“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section ‎2(b) hereof.

“Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

“Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(b) hereof.

“Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

“Stericycle Notes” shall mean the 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 issued by Stericycle, Inc., which was acquired by the Company on November 4, 2024.

“Stericycle Notes Exchange Offer” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Suspension Actions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎2(e)(vi) hereof.

“Target Registration Date” shall mean November 9, 2025, which is the date that is 366 days from the Closing Date.

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

“Trustee” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section ‎3(e) hereof.

“Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

“WM Guarantees” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“WM Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“WM Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

2.            Registration under the Securities Act.

(a)           (i)               To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or regulation, or applicable interpretations of the SEC or the Staff, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (x) file or cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all outstanding Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and, (y) keep such Registration Statement effective until 180 days after the last Exchange Date for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers.

(ii)            The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer no later than the Target Registration Date.

(iii)           After the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become effective, the Company shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing or making available the related Prospectus and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

(A)

that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange, except to the extent not permitted by law, applicable interpretations of the Staff or as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement;

(B)

the dates of acceptance for exchange, which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days (in accordance with the Exchange Act) from the date such Prospectus is mailed or made available (the “Exchange Dates”);

(C)

that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

(D)

that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (x) surrender such Registrable Security to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the Prospectus, or (y) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

(E)

that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the institution and in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

(iv)            As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company that (I) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (II) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the Securities Act, (III) it is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or, if it is such an “affiliate,” such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities, (IV) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market making or other trading activities, then such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable, in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities, (V) it is not prohibited by any law or policy from participating in the Exchange Offer, and (VI) it shall have made such other representations as may be reasonably requested by the Company, or as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to render the use of Form S-4 or other appropriate form under the Securities Act available (collectively, the “Holder Representations”). Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any broker-dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under SEC policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the SEC enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the SEC’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters, and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or Item 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Registrable Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.

(v)            As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company shall:

(A)

cause the Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer to be accepted for exchange;

(B)

cause all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(C)

issue Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities validly tendered by such Holder; provided that if any of the Registrable Securities are in book-entry form, the Company shall, in cooperation with the Trustee, effect the exchange of Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable book-entry procedures; and

(D)

cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder such Exchange Securities.

(vi)           The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that (I) the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (II) the Registrable Securities shall be validly tendered in accordance with the Exchange Offer, (III) each Holder of Registrable Securities exchanged in the Exchange Offer shall have made the Holder Representations, (IV) no action or proceeding shall have been instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency with respect to the Exchange Offer which, in the Company’s judgment, could reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company to proceed with the Exchange Offer, (V) the Exchange Offer will be made to all Holders other than to any Holder of the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom to whom the Exchange Offer cannot be made without requiring the publication of a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 or, as the case may be, such regulation as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (which may be certified or validated by way of representations from Holders of Registrable Securities) and (VI) other customary conditions relating to the delivery of the WM Securities or other actions customarily taken by Holders participating in the Exchange Offer or the execution and delivery of customary documentation relating to the Exchange Offer shall have been satisfied.

(b)          In the event that (i) the Company determines that any changes in applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff or the SEC do not permit the Company to effect the Exchange Offer provided for in Section ‎2(a) hereof, (ii) a Holder participating in the Exchange Offer does not receive Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange that may be sold without restriction under state and U.S. federal securities laws (other than due solely to the status of such Holder as an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act) and notifies (a “Holder Notice”) the Company within 30 days after such Holder first becomes aware of such restrictions, (iii) the Exchange Offer, for any other reason, is not completed by the Target Registration Date, or (iv) the Company receives a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Holder within 20 Business Days after the consummation of the Exchange Offer representing that they hold Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to file, as promptly as practicable after the date of such determination, Holder Notice or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement become effective; provided, however, that the Company shall be under no obligation to file any such Shelf Registration Statement before they are obligated to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section ‎2(a) hereof and no Holder shall be entitled to have the Registrable Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder; and provided, further, that with respect to a Shelf Registration Statement required pursuant to this Section ‎2(b), the consummation of an Exchange Offer shall relieve the Company of such obligation to file a Shelf Registration Statement for the scenarios set forth in Section ‎2(b)(i) or Section ‎2(b)(iii) hereof.

(c)          (i)              In the event that the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section ‎2(b)(ii) or Section ‎2(b)(iv) hereof, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file and to cause to become effective both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section ‎2(a) hereof with respect to all Registrable Securities and, with respect to any Registrable Securities to which Section ‎2(b)(ii) or Section ‎2(b)(iv) hereof applies, a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of such Registrable Securities held by the Holders, if any, after completion of the Exchange Offer.

(ii)            The Company agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for a period of one year from the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement or such shorter period that will terminate when all of the WM Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”).

(iii)           The Company further agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable.

(iv)           Unless it has been filed with the SEC or is otherwise publicly available, the Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used, provided, however, Holders will be deemed to have received the documents referred to above upon delivery of such documents to the depository or depositories of the Registrable Securities for distribution to its participants.

(d)           (i)             The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section ‎2(a) or Section ‎2(b) hereof.

(ii)            Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, and, except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, any other expenses, if any, relating to the underwriting, offering, sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement.

(e)           (i)             An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section ‎2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC.

(ii)            A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section ‎2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

(iii)            If a Registration Default occurs with respect to any Registrable Securities, the interest rate on such Registrable Securities (and only such Registrable Securities) will be increased by 0.25% per annum (such increased interest rate amount, the “Additional Interest”) beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default. A Registration Default ends with respect to any WM Securities when such WM Securities cease to be Registrable Securities or, if earlier, (A) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (i) of the definition thereof, when the Exchange Offer is completed or when the Shelf Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities becomes effective or (B) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (ii) of the definition thereof, when the Shelf Registration Statement again becomes effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable. If at any time more than one Registration Default has occurred and is continuing, then, until the next date that there is no Registration Default, the Additional Interest provided for by this paragraph shall apply as if there occurred a single Registration Default that begins on the date that the earliest such Registration Default occurred and ends on the next date that there is no Registration Default; provided, however, that no such Additional Interest shall be payable if the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not filed or declared effective or the Exchange Offer is not consummated on account of the reasons set forth in Section ‎2(b) hereof (it being understood, however, that in any such case the Company shall be obligated to file a Shelf Registration Statement and such Additional Interest shall be payable if the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective in accordance with Section ‎2(c) hereof), that no such Additional Interest shall be payable if the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective as set forth above because the Holder Notice or Shelf Request was not made on a timely basis; provided, further, that such Additional Interest shall only be payable if the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective.

(iv)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the Exchange Offer is consummated, any Holder who was, at the time such Exchange Offer was pending and consummated, eligible to exchange, and did not validly tender, or withdrew, its WM Securities for Exchange Securities in such Exchange Offer will not be entitled to receive any Additional Interest, and such WM Securities will no longer constitute Registrable Securities hereunder.

(v)            Any Additional Interest payable by the Company will be paid in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Indenture. The Additional Interest referenced in this Section ‎2(e) shall be the sole remedy of any Holder (other than a Participating Broker-Dealer) with respect to any Exchange Offer Registration and Shelf Registration and related matters provided for in this Agreement.

(vi)           The Company shall be entitled to suspend its obligation to file any amendment to a Shelf Registration Statement, furnish any supplement or amendment to a Prospectus included in a Shelf Registration Statement or any Free Writing Prospectus, make any other filing with the SEC that would be incorporated by reference into a Shelf Registration Statement, cause a Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus usable or take any similar action (collectively, “Suspension Actions”) if there is a possible acquisition, disposition or business combination or other transaction, business development or event involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries that may require disclosure in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus and the Company determines that such disclosure is not in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders or obtaining any financial statements relating to any such acquisition or business combination required to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus would be impracticable. Upon the occurrence of any of the conditions described in the foregoing sentence, the Company shall give prompt notice of the delay or suspension (but not the basis thereof) to the Holders. Upon the termination of such condition, the Company shall promptly proceed with all Suspension Actions that were delayed or suspended and, if required, shall give prompt notice to the Holders of the cessation of the delay or suspension (but not the basis thereof).

3.             Registration Procedures.

(a)            In connection with its obligations pursuant to Section ‎2(a) and Section ‎2(b) hereof, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to:

(i)             prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof, and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include or incorporate by reference all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section ‎2 hereof;

(ii)            (A)            prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section ‎2 hereof and supplement each Prospectus with any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and (B) keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(a)(3) of, and Rule 174 under, the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

(iii)           to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and the retention of any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed to the extent required by SEC rules;

(iv)            (A)           in the case of a Shelf Registration, use commercially reasonable efforts upon written request to furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, to counsel for the Dealer Managers, to counsel for such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than any document that amends and supplements any Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus because it is incorporated by reference therein), as such Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in writing in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and, (B) subject to Section ‎3(c) hereof, the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

(v)            (A)            in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the registration and qualification of the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, if and to the extent legally required in order to effect the Exchange Offer, and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement and if necessary to permit sales under the Shelf Registration Statement, cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under the applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective; (B) cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and (C) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any and all other acts and things within the Company’s reasonable control that may be reasonably necessary to enable each Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided that the Company shall not be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to subject itself to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not already so subject;

(vi)           notify counsel for the Dealer Managers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement and counsel for such Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing: (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective; (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; (4) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made); and (6) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be required;

(vii)          use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement on the proper form, as promptly as reasonably practicable and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

(viii)         in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, upon written request, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested in writing), if such documents are not available via EDGAR;

(ix)           in the case of a Shelf Registration, reasonably cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and, in the case of certificated securities, registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Holders may reasonably request at least three Business Days prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

(x)            upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section ‎3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities and the Dealer Managers and any Participating Broker-Dealers known to the Company (in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement), as applicable, to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Holders, such Participating Broker-Dealers and Dealer Managers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission; provided that the Company shall not be required to take any action pursuant to this Section ‎3(a)(x) during any suspension period pursuant to Section ‎2(e)(vi) or Section ‎3(d) hereof;

(xi)           within a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, in each case, excluding any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement, Prospectus, Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto after the initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Dealer Managers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement and their counsel) and make representatives of the Company, as shall be reasonably requested by the Dealer Managers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement or their counsel), available for discussion of such document at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, provided, however, Holders will be deemed to have received the documents referred to above upon delivery of such documents to the depository or depositories of the Registrable Securities for distribution to its participants; and the Company shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Dealer Managers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Dealer Managers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities or their counsel) shall have previously reasonably objected in writing within two Business Days after the receipt thereof, unless the Company in good faith reasonably believes that use or filing of such Prospectus, Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus is required by applicable law;

(xii)           use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiii)         cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities that are registered on a Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be; reasonably cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xiv)         in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection, solely for customary due diligence purposes to the extent appropriate, by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, one firm of counsel and one firm of accountants designated by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Holders of Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Registration and one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, such financial and other records, pertinent documents and access to properties of the Company and its subsidiaries as such Persons may reasonably request, and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all such information and access reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information (including, without limitation, entering into a confidentiality agreement in customary form if requested by the Company) and shall not disclose such records, documents or information unless (A) the disclosure of such records, documents or information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in a Registration Statement; (B) the release of such records, documents or information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction or as part of the evidentiary procedures of a court of competent jurisdiction; or (C) such records, documents or information have previously been generally made available to the public;

(xv)          if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, promptly include or incorporate by reference in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably concludes is required to be included therein and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing;

(xvi)         in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other customary and appropriate actions in connection therewith (including those reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, in an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (A) provided that the Holders’ representations and warranties are of the substance and scope as are customarily made by selling security holders to underwriters in underwritten offerings, to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and consistent with the applicable representations and warranties in the Dealer Manager Agreement and confirm the same if and when required by or requested by the Holder pursuant to the applicable underwriting agreement, (B) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, in customary form and subject to customary limitations, assumptions and exclusions and covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (C) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and (D) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause ‎(A) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement; it being agreed that the representations and warranties, opinions of counsel and comfort letters delivered in connection with the initial offering of the WM Securities are customary; and

(b)           In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require, as a condition to include such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities and other documentation necessary to effectuate the proposed disposition as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing and require such Holder to agree in writing to be bound by all provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder; provided that if such Holder fails to provide the requested information within 15 Business Days, including all information required to be disclosed so that the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder is not materially misleading and does not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from such Shelf Registration Statement until such time as the information is provided.

(c)           In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities covered in such Shelf Registration Statement agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section ‎3(a)(vi)(3) or Section ‎3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section ‎3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

(d)           (i)             If the Company shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness during the period of suspension, and the Company shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions or notice that such amendment or supplement is not necessary; provided that no such extension shall be made in the case where such suspension is solely as a result of the Company’s compliance with this Section ‎3(d) or any other suspension at the request of a Holder.

(ii)            The Company may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period, any such suspensions shall not exceed 60 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period (except for the consecutive 60-day period immediately prior to the maturity of the WM Securities).

(e)           (i)            The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Company (provided the lead Underwriter shall also be reasonably acceptable to Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering). All fees, costs and expenses of the Underwriters, except for Registration Expenses, shall be borne by such Holders.

(ii)            No Holder of Registrable Securities may participate in any Underwritten Offering hereunder unless such Holder (A) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements, and (B) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such Underwritten Offering.

(iii)           In the event of an Underwritten Offering, each Holder agrees that, neither such Holder nor any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to any Registration Statement on such Holder’s behalf, will make any offer relating to the Registrable Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act, unless it has obtained the prior written consent of the Company.

4.             Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

(a)            (i)            The Company has been advised that the Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for the WM Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

(ii)            The Company has been advised that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

(b)            (i)            In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees, if so requested by one or more Holders who is a Participating Broker-Dealer, to use commercially reasonable efforts to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period ending on the earlier of (A) 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section ‎3(d) hereof), and (B) the date on which each Participating Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market making or other trading activities, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is available for resale of the Registrable Securities acquired by the Participating Broker-Dealers.

(ii)            The Company further consents, subject to Section ‎3(c) hereof, to the delivery of (or, to the extent permitted by law, agree to make available) such Prospectus by Participating Broker-Dealers during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section ‎4.

(c)            The Dealer Managers shall have no liability to the Company or any Holder with respect to any request that a Holder may make pursuant to Section ‎4(b) hereof.

5.             Indemnification and Contribution.

(a)            (i)            The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Dealer Manager, each Holder, their respective directors, officers and employees, each Person, if any, who controls any Dealer Manager or any Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Dealer Manager within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Dealer Manager or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such parties expressly for use therein.

(ii)            In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section ‎3 hereof, the Company agrees to also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, their respective affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

(b)           Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer Managers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any Dealer Manager and any other selling Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Dealer Manager within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act and such Dealer Manager’s respective directors, officers and employees, to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in Section ‎5(a) hereof, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus.

(c)            (i)            If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either Section ‎5(a) or Section ‎5(b) hereof, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under Section ‎5(a) or Section ‎5(b) hereof, except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under Section ‎5(a) or Section ‎5(b) hereof.

(ii)            If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section ‎5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.

(iii)            In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (A) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (B) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (C) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (D) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.

(iv)           It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.

(v)            Any such separate firm (x) for any Dealer Manager or its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Dealer Manager shall be designated in writing by such Dealer Managers, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders, and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company.

(vi)          The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.

(vii)          No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding, and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d)           If the indemnification provided for in Section ‎5(a) or Section ‎5(b) hereof is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such Section ‎5(a) or Section ‎5(b), in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering of the WM Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving the WM Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause ‎(i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause ‎(i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Holders, as applicable, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e)            (i)            The Company and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section ‎5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section ‎5(d) hereof.

(ii)            The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section ‎5(d) hereof shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.

(iii)           Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section ‎5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the WM Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

(iv)           No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(v)            The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section ‎5 are several and not joint.

(f)            The remedies provided for in this Section ‎5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

(g)           The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section ‎5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement; (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Dealer Managers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Dealer Manager or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company; (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities; and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

6.             General.

(a)            No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company under any other agreement, and (ii) the Company has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement, will not enter into, any agreement that conflicts with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

(b)           Amendments and Waivers. (i) The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of this Section ‎6 shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. (ii) Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section ‎6(b) shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto. Each Holder of Registrable Securities outstanding at the time of such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent thereafter shall be bound by and any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent effected pursuant to this Section ‎6(b), whether or not any notice, writing or marking indicating such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent appears on the Registrable Securities or is delivered to such Holder. Each Holder may waive compliance with respect to any obligation of the Company under this Agreement as it may apply or be enforced by such particular Holder.

(c)           Notices. (i) Except as otherwise specified herein, all notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, email or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (A) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section ‎6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Dealer Managers, the address set forth in the Dealer Manager Agreement; (B) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Dealer Manager Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section ‎6(c); and (C) if to such other persons, at their respective addresses as provided in the Dealer Manager Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section ‎6(c). (ii) All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if emailed; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. (iii) Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

(d)           Successors and Assigns. (i) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Dealer Manager Agreement or the Indenture. (ii) If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. (iii) The Dealer Managers (in their capacity as Dealer Managers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

(e)           Third-Party Beneficiaries. The Trustee and each Holder shall be a third-party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Dealer Managers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

(f)            Counterparts. (i) This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. (ii) Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail in “portable document format” (“.pdf”) (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

(g)           Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

(h)           Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. (i) This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (ii) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents and agrees that any legal action, suit or proceeding against it with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter arising out of or based on this Agreement shall be brought in the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County or of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York. (iii) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(i)            Entire Agreement; Severability. (i) This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto. (ii) If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. (iii) The Company and the Dealer Managers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of such invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

(j)            Delegation by the Company. All references to obligations of the Company to take or not take any actions shall be satisfied so long as the Company causes such actions to be taken or not taken, as applicable.

(k)           Termination. This Agreement and the obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate upon the expiration of the Shelf Effectiveness Period, except for any liabilities or obligations under Section ‎5 hereof, each of which shall remain in effect in accordance with its terms.

[Signatures on following pages]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

Waste Management, Inc.

By:	/s/ Leslie Nagy
	Name:	Leslie Nagy
	Title:	Vice President and Treasurer

Waste Management Holdings, Inc.

By:	/s/ Leslie Nagy
	Name:	Leslie Nagy
	Title:	Vice President and Treasurer

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date first above written.

Barclays Capital Inc.

By:	/s/ Kenneth Chang
	Name:	Kenneth Chang
	Title:	MD

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date first above written.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

By:	/s/ Ryan E. Montgomery
	Name:	Ryan E. Montgomery
	Title:	Managing Director

By:	/s/ Shamit Saha
	Name:	Shamit Saha
	Title:	Director

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date first above written.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

By:	/s/ Michael Rost
	Name:	Michael Rost
	Title:	Managing Director

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

Cover	Nov. 08, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Nov. 08, 2024
Entity File Number	1-12154
Entity Registrant Name	WASTE MANAGEMENT INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000823768
Entity Tax Identification Number	73-1309529
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Address, Address Line One	800 Capitol Street
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 3000
Entity Address, City or Town	Houston
Entity Address, State or Province	TX
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	77002
City Area Code	713
Local Phone Number	512-6200
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.01 par value
Trading Symbol	WM
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false