6.    Debt

The following table summarizes the major components of debt at principal amounts as of each balance sheet date (in millions) and provides the maturities and interest rate ranges of each major category as of December 31:

  ​ ​ ​

2025

  ​ ​ ​

2024

Commercial paper program (weighted average interest rate of 4.1% as of December 31, 2025 and 4.7% as of December 31, 2024)

$

1,090

$

1,250

Senior notes, maturing through 2054, interest rates ranging from 1.15% to 7.75% (weighted average interest rate of 4.3% as of December 31, 2025 and 4.2% as of December 31, 2024)

 

17,498

 

18,419

Canadian senior notes, C$500 million maturing September 2026, interest rate of 2.6%

364

348

Tax-exempt bonds, maturing through 2055, fixed and variable interest rates ranging from 0.70% to 4.60% (weighted average interest rate of 3.4% as of December 31, 2025 and 3.7% as of December 31, 2024)

 

2,827

 

2,873

Financing leases and other, maturing through 2075 (weighted average interest rate of 4.8% as of December 31, 2025 and 4.9% as of December 31, 2024)

 

1,284

 

1,189

Debt issuance costs, discounts and other

 

(156)

 

(179)

 

22,907

 

23,900

Current portion of long-term debt

 

711

 

1,359

Long-term debt, less current portion

$

22,196

$

22,541

Debt Classification

As of December 31, 2025, we had approximately $3.7 billion of debt maturing within the next 12 months, including (i) $1.8 billion of tax-exempt bonds with term interest rate periods that expire within the next 12 months, which is prior to

their scheduled maturities; (ii) $1.1 billion of short-term borrowings under our commercial paper program (net of related discount on issuance); (iii) $223 million of 7.1% senior notes that mature in August 2026; (iv) $364 million of 2.6% Canadian senior notes that mature in September 2026 and (v) $200 million of other debt with scheduled maturities within the next 12 months. As of December 31, 2025, we have classified $3.0 billion of debt maturing in the next 12 months as long-term because we have the intent and ability to refinance these borrowings on a long-term basis as supported by the forecasted available capacity under our $3.5 billion long-term U.S. and Canadian revolving credit facility (“$3.5 billion revolving credit facility”), as discussed below. The remaining $711 million of debt maturing in the next 12 months is classified as current obligations.

Access to and Utilization of Credit Facilities and Commercial Paper Program

$3.5 Billion Revolving Credit Facility — Our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility, maturing May 2029, provides us with credit capacity to be used for cash borrowings, to support letters of credit and to support our commercial paper program. The interest rates we pay on outstanding U.S. or Canadian loans are based on a secured overnight financing rate administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“SOFR”) or the Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average (“CORRA”) administered by the Bank of Canada, respectively, plus a spread depending on our senior public debt rating assigned by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings. The spread above SOFR or CORRA can range from 0.585% to 1.025% per annum, plus applicable credit adjustments. We also pay certain other fees set forth in the $3.5 billion revolving credit facility agreement, including a facility fee based on the aggregate commitment, regardless of usage. As of December 31, 2025, we had no outstanding borrowings under this facility. We had $1.1 billion of outstanding borrowings (net of related discount on issuance) under our commercial paper program and $227 million of letters of credit issued, both supported by the facility, leaving unused and available credit capacity of $2.2 billion as of December 31, 2025.

The agreement includes a $1.0 billion accordion feature that may be used to increase total capacity in future periods, and we have the option to request up to two one-year extensions. Waste Management of Canada Corporation and WM Quebec Inc., each an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of WMI, are borrowers under the $3.5 billion revolving credit facility, and the agreement permits borrowing in Canadian dollars up to the U.S. dollar equivalent of $375 million, with such borrowings to be repaid in Canadian dollars. WM Holdings, Inc. (“WM Holdings”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of WMI, guarantees all the obligations under the $3.5 billion revolving credit facility.

Commercial Paper Program — We have a commercial paper program that enables us to borrow funds for up to 397 days at competitive interest rates. The rates we pay for outstanding borrowings are based on the term of the notes. The commercial paper program is fully supported by our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility. As of December 31, 2025, we had $1.1 billion of outstanding borrowings (net of related discount on issuance) under our commercial paper program.

Other Letter of Credit Lines — As of December 31, 2025, we had utilized $920 million of other uncommitted letter of credit lines with terms extending through December 2029.

Debt Borrowings and Repayments

Commercial Paper Program — During the year ended December 31, 2025, we made cash repayments of $20.4 billion, which were partially offset by $20.2 billion of cash borrowings (net of related discount on issuance).

Senior Notes — We repaid $422 million of 3.125% senior notes in March 2025 and $500 million of 0.75% senior notes in November 2025, in both cases with available cash at their scheduled maturities.

Senior Notes Exchange Offer — On June 25, 2025, we completed an exchange offer pursuant to which we issued approximately $483 million of new notes (the “Registered Notes”) registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in exchange for a like amount of our outstanding unregistered 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Restricted Notes”).

This amount represents approximately 99% of the $485 million aggregate principal amount of Restricted Notes that were originally issued on November 8, 2024, in a private offer in exchange for notes of Stericycle. The terms of the Registered Notes are substantially identical in all material respects to the terms of the Restricted Notes, except that the Registered Notes are not subject to restrictions on transfer. The debt exchange is accounted for as a modification of debt, as the financial terms of the Registered Notes do not differ from the Restricted Notes, and there is no substantial difference between the present value of cash flows under each respective set of notes.

Tax-Exempt Bonds — We issued $252 million of tax-exempt bonds in 2025. The proceeds from the issuance of these bonds were deposited directly into a restricted trust fund to be used for the specific purpose for which the money was raised, which is generally to finance expenditures for solid waste disposal and recycling facility construction and development. We also repaid $298 million of tax-exempt bonds in 2025 at their respective scheduled maturities with available cash on hand.

Financing Leases and Other — The increase in our financing leases and other debt obligations in 2025 is due to an increase of $248 million, primarily related to non-cash financing leases, partially offset by $153 million of cash repayments of debt at maturity.

Scheduled Debt Payments

Principal payments of our debt for the next five years and thereafter, based on scheduled maturities are as follows: $1.8 billion in 2026, $2.0 billion in 2027, $2.0 billion in 2028, $2.1 billion in 2029, $1.7 billion in 2030 and $13.5 billion thereafter. Our recorded debt and financing lease obligations include non-cash adjustments associated with debt issuance costs, discounts and fair value adjustments attributable to terminated interest rate derivatives, which have been excluded from these amounts because they will not result in cash payments. As discussed above, we have the intent and ability to refinance our commercial paper borrowings on a long-term basis. See Note 7 below for further discussion of our financing lease arrangements.

Secured Debt

Our debt balances are generally unsecured, except for financing lease obligations and the notes payable associated with our investments in low-income housing properties. See Notes 8 and 18 for additional information related to these investments.

Debt Covenants

The terms of certain of our financing arrangements require that we comply with financial and other covenants. Our most restrictive financial covenant is the one contained in our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility, which sets forth a maximum total debt to consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization ratio (the “Leverage Ratio”). This covenant requires that the Leverage Ratio for the preceding four fiscal quarters will not be more than 3.75 to 1, provided that if an acquisition permitted under our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility involving aggregate consideration in excess of $200 million occurs during the fiscal quarter, the Company shall have the right to increase the Leverage Ratio to 4.25 to 1 during such fiscal quarter and for the following three fiscal quarters (the “Elevated Leverage Ratio Period”). There shall be no more than two Elevated Leverage Ratio Periods during the term of our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility, and the Leverage Ratio must return to 3.75 to 1 for at least one fiscal quarter between Elevated Leverage Ratio Periods. The Company has not elected to increase the Leverage Ratio for an Elevated Leverage Ratio Period during the term of our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility. The calculation of all components used in the Leverage Ratio covenant are as defined in the $3.5 billion revolving credit facility. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, we were in compliance with our Leverage Ratio covenant.

Our $3.5 billion revolving credit facility, senior notes and other financing arrangements also contain certain restrictions on the ability of the Company’s subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness as well as restrictions on the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to, among other things, incur liens, engage in sale-leaseback transactions and engage in mergers and consolidations. We monitor our compliance with these restrictions, but do not believe that they significantly impact our ability to enter into investing or financing arrangements typical for our business. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, we were in compliance with all covenants and restrictions under our financing arrangements, in addition to our Leverage Ratio covenant, that may have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 9, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 19, 2025
2023Feb 13, 2024
2022Feb 7, 2023
2021Feb 15, 2022
2020Feb 22, 2021
2019Feb 13, 2020
2017Feb 15, 2018
2016Feb 16, 2017
2015Feb 18, 2016

About Debt Disclosures

Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.

Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.