Quest Resource Holding Corp: Form 10-K for the period ended Dec 31, 2024

Overview

Quest Resource Holding Corporation (“Quest”, “the Company”, “our company,” “we,” “us” and “our”) is a national provider of waste and recycling services to customers from across multiple industry sectors that are typically larger, multi-location businesses. We create customer-specific programs and perform the related services for the collection, processing, recycling, disposal, and tracking of waste streams and recyclables to maximize resource utilization. Our programs and services enable our customers to address their business, sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) goals and responsibilities.

We believe our services are comprehensive, innovative, and cost effective. Our services are designed to enable our business customers to capture the commodity value of their waste streams and recyclables, better manage their disposal and total operating costs, enhance their management of environmental risks, enhance their legal and regulatory compliance, and achieve their business and environmental goals while maximizing the efficiency of their assets. Our services currently focus on the waste streams and recyclables from big box retailers, including grocers and other specialty retailers; transportation, logistics, and fleet operators; manufacturing and industrial facilities; automotive after-market operations such as automotive maintenance, quick lube, dealerships, and collision repair; multi-family and commercial properties; restaurant chains and food operations; and construction and demolition projects. We currently concentrate on programs for recycling cardboard, pallets, wood waste, metal, glass, motor oil and automotive lubricants, oil filters, scrap tires, oily water, goods destruction, food waste, meat renderings, cooking oil and grease trap waste, plastics, mixed paper, construction debris, as well as a large variety of regulated and non-regulated solid, liquid, and gas wastes. In addition, we offer products such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluid, dumpster and compacting equipment, and other minor ancillary services.

Quest also provides information and data that tracks and reports the detailed transactional and environmental results of our services and provides actionable data to improve business operations. The data we generate enables our customers to address their environmental goals and responsibilities and to report to internal and external parties such as employees, investors, business partners, and governmental agencies.

Industry Overview

The waste and recycling market in North America was approximately $200 billion in 2019 according to Allied Market Research and is greatly driven by the solid waste collection and disposal business. The size of the recycling industry has increased in recent years and is expected to continue to increase as environmental concerns increase, landfill space decreases, businesses and consumers seek alternatives to delivering their recyclables and disposables to landfills, and businesses are subject to increased expectations to exhibit and report on their environmental actions and impact. ESG reporting requirements have driven demand for comprehensive and reliable data. Although society and industry have increased the awareness of environmental issues, such as recycling, reuse, and proper disposal, waste production also continues to increase. Because of environmental concerns, local government regulations, and cost factors, it has become increasingly difficult to obtain the necessary permits to build any new landfills. There is recognition by U.S. public agencies, businesses, and consumers that many items deposited in landfills have commodity value or usability as material for new products. Improvements in recycling and reuse technologies and efficient secondary markets for recycled commodities have made recycling a cost-attractive alternative.

Regulatory measures and more stringent control of material bound for disposal make the management of solid waste a difficult problem. The EPA, and state and local governments are generally expected to continue the present trend of restricting the amount of potentially recyclable material bound for landfills. Governmental authorities have passed, or are reported to be contemplating, measures that require industrial and commercial companies to recycle all or a portion of their disposable materials and restrict the percentage of recyclable materials in any commercial load of disposable material. We believe that these measures, along with the economic value of recyclable materials, may create additional opportunities as proper disposal of materials becomes more specialized. Some large industrial and commercial companies have in-house personnel that handle their solid waste management and recycling responsibilities, but many have found that in-house handling of these responsibilities may not be an effective solution without adequate knowledge, experience, resources, and staff support. We offer these companies and other establishments a solution to this increasing burden.

Our Strategy

Our goal is to be a leading environmental services company. Key elements of our strategy to achieve our goal include the following:

• Offer Complete Waste and Recycling Services. We intend to continue to enhance the comprehensive, one-stop services that we provide for the waste streams and recyclables produced by our business customers.
• Expand our Customer Base. We intend to continue to expand the customer base for our services by focusing on the expertise we have gained and the value proposition that we offer to our business customers in terms of overall improved waste program economics, recyclable commodity value, flexible programs, broad service offerings, data reporting, and national capacities that we believe provides us with competitive advantages in expanding our customer base.
• Expand into New Customer Verticals. We plan to expand to serve growing industries that we do not currently service, but that generate waste streams and recyclables that can benefit from our ability to manage a large variety of waste streams and recyclables, respond quickly to service requests, and provide what we consider industry-leading collection, processing, and data reporting.
• Emphasize Monetary and other Benefits of Recycling. We intend to emphasize the monetary advantages of recycling by demonstrating to businesses their ability to capture the commodity value of their waste streams and recyclables, better manage their disposal and total operating cost, enhance their management of environmental risks, enhance their legal and regulatory compliance, and achieve their business, sustainability, and ESG goals.
• Pursue Strategic Technologies and Processes. We plan to identify, investigate, develop, and deliver new technologies and processes that we believe have the potential to contribute additional economic and financial value. We will leverage artificial intelligence (AI), the internet-of-things (IOT), and other leading technologies to improve our customers’ experience, enhance the gathering and analysis of data for better business insights, and automate processes to improve scalability and efficiencies. The application of technologies across our value chain will help maximize the development of all our strategic initiatives.
• Expand the Types of Materials Covered by our Services. We plan to expand the types of waste streams and recyclables covered by our services. To date, our revenue has been generated primarily from our solutions for used oil, oil filters, scrap tires, grease and cooking oil, solid waste, food waste, metals, cardboard, and regulated materials. We believe that we can provide value to our business customers by servicing a larger portion of disposable and recyclable materials, including additional niche waste streams.
• Pursue Strategic Acquisitions. We plan to capitalize on the significant market, technology, and process opportunities available in the environmental and recycling services industry. As a result of our considerable industry experience and relationships, we believe we are well positioned to identify and evaluate acquisition candidates and assess their growth prospects, the quality of their management teams, their reputation with customers, and the suitability of their locations. We believe we are regarded as an attractive acquiror because of (1) our historical performance of successfully developing, servicing and growing customer relationships; (2) the experience and reputation of our management team within the industry; (3) our ability to bring our vendor network to service accounts; (4) our ability to integrate customer service, invoicing, accounting and other financial functions into our company, which generally enables the management of an acquired company to continue their involvement in the combined company by focusing on existing and new customers; (5) the ability of management and employees of acquired companies to participate in our potential growth and expansion through a combination of stock ownership, performance linked incentives, and career advancement opportunities; and (6) the ability to offer liquidity to the owners of acquired companies through the receipt of common stock or cash.
• Maintain Virtual Facilities and Equipment. We plan to continue to pursue an “asset light” strategy in our core business that utilizes third-party vendors or subcontractors for the collection, sorting, and processing of recyclable and waste materials for businesses. This strategy results in a scalable business model that enables us to concentrate on our core competencies of developing service solutions that are better aligned to each customer’s needs and selling recyclable materials at volumes that provide favorable prices; enables us to render our services on a national basis without the need for an extensive workforce, multiple facilities, or numerous vehicles; allows us to negotiate with multiple subcontractors to optimize our pricing; and reduces our capital expenditures and working capital requirements.
• Leverage Governmental and Social Factors Expanding Recycling. We intend to leverage the demands by governmental authorities and by the public to expand efforts to recycle materials because of concerns about sustainability, greenhouse gases, and other environmental concerns, including the proliferation of ESG initiatives as evidenced by the SEC’s recent proposed rules.

Our Environmental Services

Waste and Recycling Services

We provide businesses across multiple industry sectors with a single-source service solution for the reuse, recycling, and disposal of a wide variety of waste streams and recyclables generated by their operations. In addition, we help customers to safely transport, treat, and dispose of a full spectrum of non-recyclable regulated and non-regulated waste.

We provide a single point of contact for managing the wide variety of disposables and recyclables produced. Our services can help our customers better manage their operational expenses, maximize the value of their recyclable commodities, comply with federal, state and local regulations, and help them foster environmental stability and sustainability.

We can provide disposal and recycling services for virtually all forms of solids and liquids, with our current services being primarily related to cardboard, paper, metals, used motor oil, oil filters, scrap tires, plastics, grease, cooking oil, food waste, expired food products, glass, industrial cleaning (separator cleaning and tank cleaning), construction debris, universal waste (batteries, mercury, lights), regulated waste, and electronic devices.

Our value proposition to our business customers is simple. We seek to

• ensure our customers can focus on their core businesses instead of waste disposal and recycling;
• provide a single source of cost-effective choices for all of their waste that improves overall operational economics and maximize the value of recyclable commodities;
• leverage the entire market of available service options to ensure the best solution that is fully aligned with their business and sustainability goals;
• help our customers with flexible programs that work toward operational efficiencies, sustainability and ESG initiatives by lowering the percentage of the waste streams that must be disposed of in landfills or by incineration;
• provide crucial visibility into an enterprise’s waste and recycling program through accurate and complete data that supports more informed decision-making and the reporting of corporate ESG and sustainability initiatives;
• mitigate risk by assisting our customers with full regulatory and environmental compliance for their waste and recycling operations; and
• provide our customers with a centralized point of contact with the convenience of 24/7/365 support.

Many waste materials (such as scrap metal, cardboard, plastics, used cooking oil, and automotive fluids) have commodity value that can be recovered and converted into new products and resources. Recovering valuable materials is a key factor in lower-waste and zero-waste initiatives and presents a profitable opportunity for businesses. The recovery of valuable materials is a strong motivator to educate businesses and consumers about proper disposal.

We provide our services on a national basis as well as in certain international regions. We currently service tens of thousands of locations for various customers throughout the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. Our customers generally have multiple locations, including many with hundreds or even thousands of facilities across a national footprint. Each location typically has multiple waste streams to be serviced, with the number mostly growing as additional materials can be identified and separated for their recovery value. We continue to broaden the range of industries we serve and the nature and extent of the services we provide, which enables us to constantly target new customers and provide additional services to existing customers.

Our recycling services often reduce our customers’ disposal costs by reducing the level of disposable material delivered to landfills and capturing the commodity value of their waste streams and recyclables. We are independent of any specific materials hauler or recycling facility operator, which allows us to seek the best services and optimize the cost of services.

We provide certain industries and businesses with specialized services, such as the following:

• Solid Waste. We offer solid waste collection to solidify our position as a one-stop shop for existing and prospective customers. The solid waste business provides incremental revenue streams, rounds out our offerings, and provides opportunities to expand into other specialized services.
• Automotive, Fleet and Industry Services. We provide a selection of services that include the collection, processing and recycling of scrap tires, HDPE plastics, used oil, used oil filters, parts cleaners, paint wastes, industrial fluids, used antifreeze, regulated waste, wastewater, and spent chemicals. We also offer antifreeze and windshield washer fluid products for business use or resale, which are produced from byproducts of waste processing activities.
• Food/Organic Waste. We provide recycling programs that focus on the highest use of food waste according to the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy. Our programs focus on various types of food facilities (grocers, manufacturers, distributors, etc.) to capture the maximum amount of food and other organic waste material and to use the most valuable recovery process available to meet their business and sustainability goals. Our program offers a variety of options to meet those goals, including waste reduction, animal feed, waste-to-energy, and compost/land application/soil treatment.
• Recycling Services. In addition to recycling many of the above-mentioned waste streams, we also collect and recycle waste streams that are unique to certain manufacturing facilities and can often be sold as commodities to offset operating costs for customers.
• Solid Waste and Recycling Equipment. We offer turnkey equipment solutions to help further reduce waste, improve operational efficiencies, and reduce total cost of operations. Standard and custom-built equipment is available to meet the exact site and operational needs of the customer. Purchase and rental options are available to support the customer’s budget needs, along with certified used and new equipment options.
• Construction Services. We help construction site managers across the United States recycle construction waste, including cardboard, plastics, metal, pallets, wood, drywall, and concrete. In addition, we provide temporary containers, offices, storage, toilets, eye washing stations, and water-holding tanks.

Data and Reporting

Government regulations for waste and recycling are extensive and complex, making reporting and documentation central components of our value to customers. ESG and sustainability initiatives are further driving the need for accurate and complete data of waste materials and the associated operations. The wide variety of recycling and waste services, volumes, diversion data, and related documents are organized in a cloud-based, centralized data hub, providing operational insight, environmental tracking, and flexible reporting. Customers have 24/7/365 access through their secure custom portal. We will continue to leverage the latest technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as proprietary tools and processes to advance our data and reporting capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

Sales and Marketing

We market our services throughout the United States primarily through a direct sales force and selected strategic partnerships. Our sales and marketing efforts focus on emphasizing the benefits of our nationwide, one-stop, comprehensive service offerings and the ability to improve overall operational economics, maximize the value of their recyclable commodities, and foster the benefits of environmental sustainability. We plan to continue to increase our sales and marketing efforts.

Industries that we target for our services include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Automotive
• Retail service providers (car dealerships, tire dealerships, quick lubes, aftermarket automotive parts and accessories retailers, automotive service franchises, car washes)
• Car and equipment rental companies
• Industrial/Manufacturing
• Food and beverages
• Machinery and equipment
• Chemicals and lubricants
• Distribution and Logistics
• Trucking and fleet
• Warehouses and distribution centers
• Hospitality and Retail
• Grocers
• Big box
• Specialty
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Property Management
• Commercial
• Multi-family
• Healthcare
• Clinics
• Hospitals
• Senior living
• Medical offices
• Construction and Demolition

Customers

Our customers are mostly Fortune 1000 businesses and span multiple and diverse industry sectors. We generally enter into multi-year contracts with our customers that are designed to provide us with recurring monthly revenue. These contracts structure our revenue primarily in the following ways: management fee, contracted pricing, shared savings, or revenue from the sale of commodities.

Our business depends to a significant extent on revenue from our largest customers. Any material reduction in the business we do with those customers could have an adverse effect on our company. One customer accounted for 27% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024, and two customers accounted for 29% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We believe that we are unique in our ability to offer comprehensive national solutions in the highly fractionalized waste, disposal, and recycling service business. Through our customer-service-driven culture, national presence, logistics management, compliance, and commodity brokerage, our solution delivers the critical know-how and experience necessary to implement and execute multi-point reuse, recycling, disposal, and waste management services.

Competitors

Recycling and Waste Disposal Services

The recycling and waste disposal industry as a whole is dominated by large multi-billion dollar companies, such as Waste Management and Republic Services. To date, these large companies have concentrated on their traditional business of collecting waste for disposal in their landfills rather than recycling, which reduces the need for landfills. The strategies of these large companies could change at any time, and we could begin to experience substantially increased competition from them. These companies have substantially greater market recognition, substantially larger customer bases, and substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution, and other resources than we possess and that afford them competitive advantages over us. As a result, they may be able to devote greater resources to the promotion and sale of services similar to those we offer, to provide comparable services at lower prices, and to introduce new solutions and respond to customer requirements more quickly than we can.

Scope of Competitors’ Services

Our services address a broad and comprehensive scope of materials such as cardboard, pallets, plastics, metals, solid waste, motor oil, scrap tires, grease, meat, organics, regulated and hazardous waste, and construction debris. Most of our competitors specialize in only one or a few of these service areas. In delivering our services, we have subcontracted at times to our competitors, thereby utilizing them as our subcontractors.

While we have many competitors for certain aspects of our business, we are unaware of any provider that provides the wide breadth of our waste, recycling, and data services, deliverable across all locations in the United States and Canada, with flexibility to adapt and modify programs and to comprehensively deliver sustainable solutions.

State and Federal Environmental Regulations

We use our best efforts to be in compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, and the Clean Water Act. Such compliance has not historically constituted a material expense to us.

The collection and disposal of solid waste and rendering of related environmental services as well as recycling operations and issues are subject to federal, state, and local requirements, which regulate health, safety, the environment, zoning, and land-use. Federal, state, and local regulations vary, but generally govern hauling, disposal, and recycling activities and the location and use of facilities and also impose restrictions to prohibit or minimize air and water pollution. In addition, governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and to obtain injunctions or impose fines in the case of violations, including criminal penalties. The EPA and various other federal, state, and local environmental, health, and safety agencies and authorities, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor, administer those regulations.

We strive to conduct our operations in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to assist our customers in their compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. While such amounts expended in environmental compliance in the past or that we anticipate spending in the future have not had and are not expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or operations, the possibility remains that technological, regulatory, or enforcement developments, the results of environmental studies, or other factors could materially alter this expectation.

Each state in which we operate has its own laws and regulations governing solid waste disposal, water and air pollution and, in most cases, releases and cleanup of hazardous substances and liability for such matters. Several governmental authorities have enacted laws that will require counties to adopt comprehensive plans to reduce the volume of solid waste landfills through waste planning, composting, recycling, or other programs. Legislative and regulatory measures to mandate or encourage waste reduction at the source and materials recycling also are under consideration by Congress and the EPA.

Finally, various states have enacted, or are considering enacting, laws that restrict the disposal within the state of solid or hazardous wastes generated outside the state. While courts have declared unconstitutional laws that overtly discriminate against out of state waste, courts have upheld some laws that are less overtly discriminatory. Challenges to other such laws are pending.

Third Party Subcontractors

We currently pursue an “asset light” strategy in our core business that utilizes third-party subcontractors for the collection, sorting, and processing of recyclable and waste materials for businesses. We do not own significant waste management assets, such as trucks, processing facilities or landfills, or have a significant number of employees devoted to in-the-field recycling operations. Instead, our asset light strategy allows us to leverage the entire market of available facilities, equipment and processes to meet our customers’ needs. We maintain strong relationships with a multitude of subcontractors, leveraging a national network to service our customer base. This strategy results in a scalable business model that enables us to concentrate on our core competencies of developing service solutions that are attractive to customers and the sale of recyclable materials at the highest prices, enables us to render our services on a national basis without the need for multiple facilities or numerous vehicles, allows us to negotiate with multiple providers for the best cost of service, and reduces our capital expenditures and working capital requirements.

Equipment and Installation

We own certain solid waste and recycling equipment located at various customer locations. We offer turnkey equipment solutions to help further reduce waste, improve operational efficiencies, and reduce total cost of operations. Standard and custom-built equipment is available to meet the exact site and operational needs of the customer. Purchase and rental options are available to support the customer’s budget needs, along with certified used and new equipment options.

Employees

As of December 31, 2024, we employed a total of 225 people, of whom 224 were full time employees. Four were executive employees, 126 were administrative and customer services employees, 82 were accounting and finance employees and 13 were sales and marketing employees. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good. None of our employees are represented by a union in collective bargaining with us.

Intellectual Property

Trademarks

Our trademarks are important to the success of our business.

We own or have filed applications for numerous federally registered trademarks and logos, including the following:

• QUEST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GROUP (and “Circle” design);
• QUEST RESOURCE HOLDING CORPORATION (and “Q” design);
• YOUCHANGE;
• SUSTAINABILITY. DELIVERED.;
• GENEX ANTI-FREEZE GROUP (and “X” design);
• GENEX WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID (and “X” design);
• TO CHALLENGE, MANAGE, AND INFORM; and
• PROGANICS.

Our History

We were incorporated in Nevada in July 2002 under the name BlueStar Financial Group, Inc. Prior to 2010, we were a “shell company” under the rules of the SEC. On March 30, 2010, we (i) closed a transaction to acquire Youchange, Inc., an Arizona corporation, or “Youchange”, as a wholly owned subsidiary, (ii) ceased being a shell company, and (iii) experienced a change in control in which the former stockholders of Youchange acquired control of our company. In May 2010, we changed our name to YouChange Holdings Corp.

On October 17, 2012, immediately prior to closing a merger transaction with Earth911, Inc., or “Earth911”, we filed Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to (i) change our name to Infinity Resources Holdings Corp., (ii) increase our shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), authorized for issuance, (iii) authorize shares of preferred stock to be designated in series or classes as our board of directors may determine, (iv) effect a reverse split of our Common Stock, and (v) divide our board of directors into classes, as nearly equal in number as possible. On October 17, 2012, we closed the merger transaction, or the “Earth911 Merger”, to acquire Earth911 as a wholly-owned subsidiary and experienced a change in control in which the former stockholders of Earth911 acquired control of our company.

On July 16, 2013, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Quest Resource Management Group, LLC, or “QRMG”, held by Quest Resource Group LLC, or “QRG”, comprising 50% of the membership interests of QRMG, or the “QRMG Interests.” Our wholly owned subsidiary, Earth911, held the remaining 50% of the membership interests of QRMG for several years. Concurrently with our acquisition of the QRMG Interests, we assigned the QRMG Interests to Earth911 so that Earth911 now holds

100% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of QRMG. On October 28, 2013, we changed our name to Quest Resource Holding Corporation, increased our shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance, and changed our trading symbol to “QRHC.”

On February 20, 2018, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Earth Media Partners, LLC to sell certain assets of our wholly owned subsidiary, Earth 911, related to the Earth911.com website business in exchange for an aggregate earn-out amount of approximately $350,000 and a 19% interest in Earth Media Partners, LLC. Earth911 was subsequently renamed Quest Sustainability Services, Inc.

On October 19, 2020, we acquired substantially all of the assets used in the business of Green Remedies Waste and Recycling, Inc. (“Green Remedies”), a leading provider of independent environmental services, particularly in multi-family housing, located in Burlington, NC.

On December 7, 2021, we acquired all of the outstanding membership interests of RWS Facility Services, LLC (“RWS”), a full-service management company engaged in the brokering of recycling, waste and sustainability solutions, located in Chadds Ford, PA. We made other strategic acquisitions in 2021 and 2022, including the acquisition of environmental services companies in Atlanta, GA, Louisville, KY and Greenville, SC.

Available Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 3481 Plano Parkway, Suite 100, The Colony, Texas 75056, and our telephone number is (972) 464-0004. Our website address is https://investors.qrhc.com. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or in any other report or document we file with the SEC.

We file reports with the SEC, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any other filings required by the SEC. Through our website, we make available free of charge our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

The public may read and copy any materials we file with, or furnish to, the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Certain factors may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our Common Stock to decline and result in the loss of all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We have incurred historical net losses and could have net losses in the future as we take steps to expand our business, which may negatively impact our ability to achieve our business objectives and our profit margins.

As a result of historical operating losses, we had an accumulated deficit of $(125.1) million as of December 31, 2024. The development of our business will require us to continue to make significant expenditures and incur substantial expenses. These significant expenditures and expenses are needed to expand our customer base and recycling services, enhance our technologies, implement internal systems and infrastructure and hire additional personnel. As a result, we may incur losses as we expand our business and there is no assurance that we will maintain profitability in the near future or at all. If we incur substantial losses and are unable to secure additional financing, we could be forced to discontinue or curtail our business operations; sell assets at unfavorable prices; refinance existing debt obligations on terms unfavorable to us; or merge, consolidate, or combine with a company with greater financial resources in a transaction that may be unfavorable to us.

Our business depends to a certain extent upon our largest customers, and any material reduction in our business with those customers or changes to their contractual terms could have an adverse effect on our company.

We depend on a small number of customers and the loss of one or more major customers could have a material adverse effect on our business. For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, one of our customers accounted for 27% and two of our customers accounted for 29% of our revenues, respectively. Given these percentages, the success of our business depends to a certain extent on our relationship with our largest customers and our failure to maintain our business with these customers could have an adverse effect on our business and revenue. Furthermore, our contractual arrangements with our major customers generally are on a multi-year basis and pertain to the management of only certain forms of materials. These contractual arrangements typically have a term of two to three years and they do not typically provide us with firm, long-term volume commitments. As a result, our customers are able to cancel, reduce, or delay our services to them at any time which could cause our revenue to decline. The terms of these contractual arrangements with our major customers or with a significant number of our other customers are also subject to change and such changes could have an adverse effect on our company.

To expand our recycling and waste services business, we must attract additional customers and expand the services we offer.

We plan to reduce our dependence on our largest customers but such reduction will require us to attract additional customers and expand the recycling and waste management services we offer. Our ability to expand successfully will depend upon a number of factors, including the following:

• our ability to successfully expand, operate, and manage our operations;
• the continued development of our business;
• the hiring, training, and retention of additional personnel;
• the ability to enhance our operational, financial, and management systems;
• the availability of adequate financing;
• competitive factors;
• general economic and business conditions;
• the ability to leverage on the factors expanding the growth of recycling;
• the ability to expand our customer base, the types of recyclable materials covered by our services, and our network of third-party service providers;
• the ability to implement new methods for revenue generation; and
• the ability to expand our relationships with third parties that are also engaged in activities relating to reducing, reusing, and recycling.

We may not be able to enhance our existing recycling, reuse, and proper disposal solutions and develop new solutions in a timely manner.

Our future operating results will depend to a significant extent on our ability to continue to provide efficient and innovative recycling, reuse, and disposal services that compare favorably with alternative services on the basis of cost, performance, and customer preferences. Our success in maintaining our existing customers and attracting new customers depends on various factors, including the following:

• innovative development of new services for customers;
• maintenance of quality standards;
• efficient and cost-effective services; and
• utilization of advances in technology.

Our inability to enhance our existing services and develop new services on a timely basis could harm our operating results and impede our growth.

We rely on independent third-party subcontractors to provide recycling services to our customers, and any interruptions of these arrangements could increase our costs, disrupt our services, and result in our inability to service our recycling customers, which would adversely affect our business.

We outsource the collection, processing, recycling, and disposal of waste streams and recyclables to independent third-party subcontractors. We rely on our subcontractors to maintain high levels of service. The loss of our relationships with our subcontractors, or their failure to conduct their services for us as anticipated in terms of cost, quality, and timeliness could adversely affect our ability to service our customers in accordance with certain service, quality, and performance requirements. If this were to occur, the resulting decline in profitability could harm our business. Securing new high-quality and cost-effective subcontractors frequently is time-consuming and may not be successful, which could result in reduced revenue and various unforeseen operational problems.

Our subcontractors may maintain their own operations or serve other customers, a number of which may provide them with more business than we do. As a result, our subcontractors could determine to prioritize their capacity for their own operations or for other customers or reduce or eliminate services for us on short notice. If we have any such problems, we may be unable to service our customers in a cost-effective, high-quality, or timely manner, particularly in certain geographical areas, which may adversely affect our business and operating results. Our subcontractors also may seek to compete with us for customers they serve on our behalf or potential customers that we desire to serve.

We may face potential environmental liabilities that may not be covered by our insurance, and changes in insurance costs and availability may also impact our financial results.

We may incur liabilities for damage to the environment as a result of the operations of our third-party subcontractors. While we do not conduct physical haulage, recycling, or disposal operations, we retain third-party service providers to carry on those activities. These operations may expose us to liability for environmental damages, in some cases even if we did not directly cause the environmental damage. Further, under our agreements with our customers, we are often required to indemnify our customers from any liabilities or claims arising out of our actions or those of our subcontractors and from any release, threatened release, handling, or storage of hazardous and other materials from our customers’ premises as a result of or connected with the performance of services by us or our subcontractors to our customers. If we were to incur substantial liability for environmental damage, our or our subcontractors’ insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover such liability. Also, because of the variable condition of the insurance market, we may experience future increases in self-insurance levels, retention levels, and premiums. This could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Fluctuations in prices for recycled commodities that we sell to third parties may adversely affect our revenue and to a lesser extent our operating income and cash flows.

We process a variety of recyclable materials for sale to third parties that can be subject to price fluctuations, including cardboard, metal, motor oil and oil filters, paper, plastics, and pallets, and we may directly or indirectly receive proceeds from the sale of such recyclable materials. Our results of operations may be affected by changing prices or market requirements for recyclable materials. The resale and purchase prices of, and market demand for, recyclable materials can be volatile because of changes in economic conditions and numerous other factors beyond our control. These fluctuations may affect the cost of and demand for our services and our future revenue, operating income, and cash flows. For example, a decline in oil prices would have an adverse effect on our revenue.

Cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities could lead to increased costs, liability claims, unauthorized access to customer data, or harm to our reputation.

We operate in an environment characterized by evolving cybersecurity threats including data theft, phishing attacks, and ransomware. We believe risks associated with these threats are reasonably likely to impact our business operations. Our business relies heavily on information technology systems, applications, and networks. Any disruption, compromise, or failure could result in operational downtime, customer loss, financial loss, and reputational damage.

We engage third-party vendors and service providers whose security practices may impact our cybersecurity posture. The failure of these parties to maintain adequate security measures could compromise our data, information systems, and customers.

A significant disruption in our computer systems or problems with our computer and communication systems may harm our business.

We rely extensively on our computer systems to manage a variety of business processes. For example, an element of our strategy is to generate and provide content, data, and reporting on our website portals to and from third parties. Accordingly, the satisfactory performance, reliability, and availability of our systems, transaction-processing systems, and communications infrastructure are critical to our reputation and our ability to attract and retain customers and adequate customer service levels. However, we may experience periodic systems interruptions. Any substantial increase in the volume of traffic on our infrastructure may require us to expand and upgrade our technology, transaction-processing systems, and other features. We can provide no assurance that we will be able to project accurately the rate or timing of increases, if any, in the use of our infrastructure or timely expand and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to accommodate such increases. Our systems are also subject to damage or interruption from various sources, including power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, vandalism, severe weather conditions, catastrophic events, and human error. Our disaster recovery planning cannot account for all eventualities. If our systems are damaged, fail to function properly, or otherwise become unavailable, we may incur substantial costs to repair or replace them, and we may experience loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our ability to perform critical functions, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

We rely on third-party providers to provide services and technology, server, and hardware for our operations and for maintaining our data, and a failure of service by these providers could adversely affect our business and reputation.

We rely upon third-party data center providers to host our main servers. In the event that these providers experience any interruption in operations or cease operations for any reason or if we are unable to agree on satisfactory terms for continued hosting relationships, we would be forced to enter into relationships with other service providers or assume hosting responsibilities ourselves. If we are forced to switch hosting facilities, we may not be successful in finding alternative service providers on acceptable terms or in hosting the computer servers ourselves. We may also be limited in our remedies against these providers in the event of a failure of service. We also rely on third-party providers for components of our technology platform, such as hardware and software providers and domain name registrars. A failure or limitation of service or available capacity by any of these third-party providers could adversely affect our business.

We rely on third-party vendors to provide critical services, including, among other things, invoice processing and bill payment services, information technology, and network monitoring. We depend on these vendors to ensure that our corporate infrastructure will consistently meet our business requirements. Upon expiration or termination of any of our agreements with third-party vendors, we may not be able to replace the services provided to us in a timely manner or on terms and conditions, including service levels and cost, that are favorable to us and a transition from one vendor to another vendor could subject us to operational delays and inefficiencies until the transition is complete.

Any inability to adapt to and manage the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence could expose us to liability or put us at a

disadvantage.

Artificial intelligence could disrupt certain aspects of our business. Some of our third-party vendors incorporate artificial intelligence technologies, including machine learning, into their services. As with many technological innovations, there are significant risks and challenges involved in maintaining and deploying these technologies, and there can be no assurance that the usage of such technologies will enhance our services or be beneficial to our business, including our efficiency or profitability.

Artificial intelligence technologies are also subject to a variety of laws, including intellectual property, privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, consumer protection, competition, and equal opportunity laws, and are expected to be subject to increased regulation and new laws or new applications of existing laws. Such laws and regulations may present a variety of compliance risks. The use of artificial intelligence may also result in litigation, ethical concerns, and other legal and business risks. If we are not able to adapt and effectively incorporate potential advantages of artificial intelligence in our business, it may negatively impact our ability to compete. If we are not able to effectively manage the risks of artificial intelligence, we may suffer harm to our results of operations and reputation.

We may be subject to intellectual property claims that create uncertainty about ownership of technology essential to our business and divert our managerial and other resources.

There has been a substantial amount of litigation regarding intellectual property rights. We can provide no assurance that third parties will not claim infringement by us with respect to our current or future services, trademarks, or other proprietary rights. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to protect our intellectual property and to operate without infringing the intellectual property rights of others in the process. There can be no assurance that any of our intellectual property will be adequately safeguarded or that it will not be challenged by third parties. We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims that would be costly to defend, could limit our ability to use certain critical technologies, and may divert our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. We may not prevail in any of these suits. An adverse determination of any litigation or defense proceedings could cause us to pay substantial damages, including treble damages, if we willfully infringe and also could increase the risk of our patent applications not being issued.

Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised. In addition, during the intellectual property litigation, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions, or other interim proceedings or developments in the litigation. If these results are perceived to be negative, it could have an adverse effect on our business.

The waste and recycling industries are subject to extensive government regulation, and existing or future regulations may adversely affect our current or future operations, increase our costs of operations, or require us to make additional capital expenditures.

Stringent government regulations at the federal, state, and local level may have substantial impact on our business, our third-party service providers, and our customers. A large number of complex laws, rules, orders, and interpretations govern environmental protection, health, safety, land use, zoning, transportation, and related matters. Among other things, these regulations may restrict the business of our third-party service providers’ and our customers’ operations and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows by imposing conditions, such as the following:

• limitations on siting and constructing new recycling, waste disposal, transfer, or processing facilities or expanding existing facilities;
• limitations, regulations, or levies on collection and disposal prices, rates, and volumes;
• limitations or bans on disposal or transportation of out-of-state materials or certain categories of materials; or
• mandates regarding the disposal of solid waste, including requirements to recycle rather than landfill certain disposables.

Regulations affecting the siting, design, and closure of landfills could require our third-party service providers or customers to undertake investigatory or remedial activities, curtail operations, or close landfills temporarily or permanently. Future changes in these regulations may require our third-party service providers or our customers to modify, supplement, or replace equipment or facilities. The costs of complying with these regulations could be substantial, and may reduce the ability or willingness of our customers to use our services. This may adversely affect our results of operations.

Environmental advocacy groups and regulatory agencies have focused on the potential role that greenhouse gases have on climate change. The adoption of laws and regulations to implement controls of greenhouse gases, including the imposition of fees or taxes, could adversely affect the operations of enterprises with which we do business. Additionally, certain states may adopt air pollution control regulations that are more stringent than existing and proposed federal regulations. Changing environmental regulations could require us or enterprises with which we do business to take any number of actions, including the purchase of emission allowances or installation of additional pollution control technology. These actions could make some operations less profitable and reduce the ability or willingness of our customers to use our services. In addition, the potential impacts of climate change on our operations are highly uncertain. Although the financial impact of these potential changes is not reasonably estimable at this time, our operations in certain locations and those of our customers and suppliers could potentially be adversely affected, which could adversely affect our sales, profitability and cash flows.

Price increases may not be adequate to offset the impact of increased costs and may cause us to lose volume.

From time to time, our competitors may reduce the price of their services in an effort to expand their market share. General economic and market-specific conditions, as well as the concentration of our business with major companies, may also limit our ability to raise prices. As a result of these factors, we may be unable to offset increases in costs, improve our operating margins, and obtain returns through price increases.

We face intense competition from larger, more established companies, and we may not be able to compete effectively, which could reduce demand for our recycling services.

The waste materials industry as a whole is dominated by large national players, such as Waste Management and Republic Services. To date, these large companies have concentrated on their traditional business of collecting waste for disposal in their landfills rather than recycling. The strategies of these large companies could change at any time, and we could begin to experience substantially increased competition from them. These companies have substantially greater market recognition, substantially larger customer bases, and substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution, and other resources than we possess and that afford them competitive advantages over us. As a result, they are able to devote greater resources to the promotion and sale of services similar to those that we provide, to provide comparable services at lower prices, and to introduce new solutions and respond to customer requirements more quickly than we can.

Our ability to compete successfully in the recycling services market depends on a number of factors, both within and outside our control. These factors include the following:

• our success in designing and introducing new solutions;
• our ability to predict the evolving needs of our customers and to convince them to use our services;
• our ability to meet our customer’s requirements in terms of cost, reliability, speed, and capacity;
• the quality of our customer services; and
• service introductions by our competitors or potential competitors.

Our customers impose substantial requirements relating to the recycling and waste management services that we provide.

Our arrangements with our customers generally contain provisions including (a) relatively short contract terms with extensions at the discretion of the customer, (b) requirements that we assume full responsibility for all operational aspects of the services, (c) requirements that we comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and other governmental requirements, (d) requirements that we hold subcontractors to the same standards to which we are subject, (e) prohibitions on price increases without customer consent, (f) designation of service locations, service frequency, and equipment, (g) specifications on procedures for rendering services, (h) notification to customer of any spills, releases, or discharges of materials, (i) requirements that we supply a self-performance audit, (j) requirements that we render monthly or quarterly reports to the customer, (k) requirements that we render monthly invoicing in approved time frames and formats, and (l) requirements that we maintain specified records. If we are unable to meet the requirements in a significant number of these contracts, such contracts could be cancelled, and the cancellation of such contracts could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and operations.

Our current indebtedness requires us to comply with certain restrictive loan covenants which may limit our ability to operate our business.

Under the terms of our PNC Loan Agreement and our Credit Agreement (each as defined in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements), we are subject to certain financial covenants, including a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio and a senior net leverage ratio. In addition, the PNC Loan Agreement and the Credit Agreement each contains negative covenants limiting, among other things, additional indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, additional liens, sales of assets, dividends, investments and advances, prepayments of debt, mergers and acquisitions, and other matter customarily restricted in such agreements. The PNC Loan Agreement and the Credit Agreement each also contains customary events of default, including payment defaults, breaches of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, events of bankruptcy and insolvency, change of control, and failure of any guaranty or security document supporting the PNC Loan Agreement or the Credit Agreement, as applicable, to be in full force and effect. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the outstanding obligations under the PNC Loan Agreement and/or the Credit Agreement, as applicable, may be accelerated and become immediately due and payable. We can provide no assurance that, if we are unable to comply with these covenants in the future, we will be able to obtain the necessary waivers or amend our PNC Loan Agreement and/or our Credit Agreement to prevent a default.

A breach of any of these covenants or requirements could result in a default under our PNC Loan Agreement and/or our Credit Agreement. If we default under our PNC Loan Agreement and/or our Credit Agreement and we are unable to cure the default or obtain a waiver, we will not be able to access the credit available under our PNC Loan Agreement and/or our Credit Agreement, as applicable, and there can be no assurance that we would be able to obtain alternative financing. In addition, our level of indebtedness may limit our financial flexibility and could affect our operations. Even if new financing is available, it may not be on terms that are acceptable to us. No assurance can be given that our future operating results will be sufficient to achieve compliance with the covenants and requirements of our PNC Loan Agreement and our Credit Agreement.

Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

All of the borrowings under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities bear interest at variable rates. As a result, an increase in interest rates, whether due to an increase in market interest rates or an increase in our own cost of borrowing, would increase the cost of servicing our debt even though the amount borrowed remained the same resulting in our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, to decrease correspondingly. See further description in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements.

We may need additional capital in the future.

The development and expansion of our business may require additional funds. In the future, we may seek additional equity or debt financing to provide funds for our business and operations. Such financing may not be available or may not be available on satisfactory terms. In addition, the terms of our PNC Loan Agreement and the Credit Agreement could limit our ability to obtain additional debt financing. If financing is not available on satisfactory terms, we may be unable to expand our operations. While debt financing will enable us to expand our business more rapidly, debt financing increases expenses and we must repay the debt regardless of our operating results. However, equity financings could result in dilution to our existing stockholders.

Our inability to obtain adequate capital resources, whether in the form of equity or debt, to fund our business and growth strategies, may require us to delay, scale back, or eliminate some or all of our operations, which may adversely affect our financial results and operations.

Our operating results may experience significant fluctuations, which may make them difficult to predict.

In addition to the variability resulting from the short-term nature of our customers’ commitments, other factors contribute to periodic and seasonal quarterly fluctuations in our results of operations, which could be significant. These factors include the following:

• cyclicality of the markets we serve;
• timing and size of orders;
• size and scope of projects and services;
• timing of expenses in anticipation of future business;
• changes in the mix of the services we render;
• changes in cost and availability of labor and third-party vendors;
• changes in the value of commodities;
• changes in prices or market requirements for recyclable materials;
• timely delivery of services to customers;
• pricing and availability of competitive services;
• pressures on reducing selling prices;
• success in serving new markets;
• introduction of new technologies into the markets we serve; and
• changes in economic conditions.

Any acquisitions that we undertake could be difficult to integrate, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value, and harm our operating results.

We plan to review strategic opportunities to buy other businesses that would complement our current service offerings, expand the scope of our service offerings, expand the breadth of our markets and sales channels, enhance our technical capabilities, or otherwise offer growth opportunities. If we make any future acquisitions, we could issue securities that would dilute the percentage ownership of our stockholders, incur substantial debt, or assume contingent liabilities.

Our experience in acquiring other businesses is limited. Potential acquisitions also involve numerous risks, including the following:

• problems integrating the acquired operations, services, personnel, or technologies with our own;
• unanticipated costs associated with the acquisition;
• diversion of management’s attention from our core businesses;
• adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers;
• risks associated with entering markets in which we have no or limited prior experience;
• potential loss of key employees and customers of purchased organizations;
• risk of impairment charges related to potential write-downs of acquired assets in acquisitions; and
• the impact on our internal controls of compliance with the regulatory requirements under Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Our acquisition strategy entails reviewing and potentially reorganizing acquired business operations, corporate infrastructure, and systems, and financial controls. Unforeseen expenses, difficulties, and delays frequently encountered in connection with rapid expansion through acquisitions could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our profitability. We may be unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates or to complete the acquisitions of candidates that we identify. Increased competition for acquisition candidates may increase purchase prices for acquisitions to levels beyond our financial capability or to levels that would not result in the returns required by our acquisition criteria. In addition, we may encounter difficulties in integrating the operations of acquired businesses with our own operations or managing acquired businesses profitably without substantial costs, delays, or other operational or financial problems.

Our strategy to increase our growth through acquisitions may be unsuccessful and could adversely affect our business and results.

As part of our growth strategy, we intend to further acquire other businesses; however, there is no assurance that we will be able to identify appropriate acquisition targets, successfully acquire identified targets or successfully integrate the business of acquired companies to realize the full benefits of the combined businesses.

Even if we successfully acquire a business entity, there is no assurance that our combined business will become profitable. The process of completing the integration of acquired businesses could cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of our company and the loss of key personnel. The diversion of management’s attention and any delays or difficulties encountered in connection with the pursuit of business acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, and the incurrence of significant, acquisition related costs in connection with proposed and completed acquisitions, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

If the benefits of any completed or proposed acquisition do not meet the expectations of investors, stockholders or financial analysts, the market price of our Common Stock may decline.

If the benefits of any completed acquisition or proposed acquisition do not meet the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the market price of our Common Stock prior to such acquisition may decline. The market values of our Common Stock at the time of an acquisition may vary significantly from their prices on the date the acquisition target was identified.

If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, the accuracy and timeliness of our financial reporting may be adversely affected.

Our reporting obligations as a public company place a significant strain on our management and our operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to produce reliable financial reports or help prevent fraud. Our failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could prevent us from filing our periodic reports on a timely basis, which could result in the loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements, harm our business, and negatively impact the trading price of our Common Stock. Any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting may also result in restatement or adjustment relating to clerical errors and such restatement or adjustment may raise claims invoking the federal and state securities laws, or other claims arising from the restatement or adjustment and material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements. We can provide no assurance that such litigation or dispute will not arise in the future.

Increased prices and inflation could negatively impact our financial results.

Though we believe that the rates of inflation in recent years have not had a significant impact on our operations, a continued increase in inflation, including inflationary pressure on labor and the goods and services we rely upon to deliver service to our customers, could result in increases to our operating costs, and we may be unable to pass these costs on to our customers. If inflation in these costs increases beyond our ability to control for them through measures such as implementing operating efficiencies, we may not be able to increase prices to sufficiently offset the effect of various cost increases without negatively impacting customer demand, thereby increasing our costs of doing business and reducing our margins. If such impacts are prolonged and substantial, they could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We depend on key personnel who would be difficult to replace, and our business will likely be harmed if we lose their services or cannot hire additional qualified personnel.

Our success depends to a significant extent upon the continued services of our current management team and key personnel. The loss of one or more of our key executives or employees could have a material adverse effect on our business. We do not maintain “key person” insurance policies on the lives of any of our executives or any of our other employees. We employ all of our executives and key employees on an at-will basis, and their employment can be terminated by us or them at any time, for any reason, and without notice, subject, in certain cases, to severance payment rights. In order to retain valuable employees, in addition to salary and cash incentives, we regard our ability as a public company to grant stock-based compensation as an important component of our ability to attract and retain key personnel. The value to employees of stock-based compensation over time will be significantly affected by movements in our stock price that are beyond our control and may at any time be insufficient to counteract offers from other companies.

Our success also depends on our ability to attract, retain, and motivate additional skilled management personnel. We plan to continue to expand our work force to continue to enhance our business and operating results. We believe that there is significant competition for qualified personnel with the skills and knowledge that we require. Many of the other companies with which we compete for qualified personnel have substantially greater financial and other resources than we do. They also may provide more diverse opportunities and better chances for career advancement. Some of these characteristics may be more appealing to high-quality candidates than those which we have to offer. If we are not able to retain our current key personnel or attract the necessary qualified key personnel to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience constraints that will significantly impede the achievement of our business objectives and our ability to pursue our business strategy. New hires require significant training and, in most cases, take significant time before they achieve full productivity. New employees may not become as productive as we expect, and we may be unable to hire or retain sufficient numbers of qualified individuals. If our recruiting, training, and retention efforts are not successful or do not generate a corresponding increase in revenue, our business will be harmed.

The effects of global economic conditions may impact our business, operating results, or financial condition.

Global economic conditions and political events, domestic or international terrorist events and hostilities or complications due to natural, nuclear or other disasters and pandemics or other health crises may reduce demand for our services because of reduced global or national economic activity. It may also cause disruptions and extreme volatility in global financial markets, increase rates of default and bankruptcy, and impact levels of consumer and commercial spending.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in late February 2022 created significant political and economic global uncertainty. Although the length and impact of this and other global conflicts are highly unpredictable, they could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions. We are continuing to monitor the Ukraine activities and related actions and assessing the potential impact on our business.

All of these factors may have far reaching impacts on our business, operations, and financial results and conditions, directly and indirectly, including without limitation impacts on the health of our company’s management and employees, marketing and sales operations, customer and consumer behaviors, and on the overall economy. The scope and nature of these impacts, most of which are beyond our company’s control, continue to evolve and the outcomes are uncertain.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities

Our stock price has been and will likely continue to be volatile, and the value of an investment in our Common Stock may decline.

The trading price of our Common Stock has been and is likely to continue to be volatile. In addition to the risk factors described in this section and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, factors that may cause the price of our Common Stock to fluctuate include the following:

• limited trading activity in our Common Stock;
• actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual financial results;
• the financial guidance we may provide to the public, any changes in such guidance, or our failure to meet such guidance;
• the failure of industry or securities analysts to maintain coverage of our company, changes in financial estimates by any industry or securities analysts that follow our company, or our failure to meet such estimates;
• various market factors or perceived market factors, including rumors, whether or not correct, involving us, our customers, our strategic partners, or our competitors;
• sales, or anticipated sales, of large blocks of our stock;
• short selling of our Common Stock by investors;
• additions or departures of key personnel;
• announcements of technological innovations by us or by our competitors;
• introductions of new services or new pricing policies by us or by our competitors;
• changing competitive factors;
• regulatory or political developments;
• fluctuating commodity prices, including oil;
• litigation and governmental or regulatory investigations;
• acquisitions or strategic alliances by us or by our competitors; and
• general economic, political, and financial market conditions or events.

Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These and other factors may cause the market price and demand for our Common Stock to fluctuate substantially, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares of common stock and may otherwise negatively affect the price or liquidity of our Common Stock. In addition, in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against the company that issued the stock. If any of our stockholders were to bring a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit or paying for settlements or damages. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management from our business.

Our directors, executive officers, and principal stockholders have substantial control over us and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to stockholder approval.

Our directors, executive officers, and holders of more than 5% of our Common Stock, together with their affiliates, beneficially own or control a majority of our outstanding Common Stock. If these stockholders act together, including with respect to the election of specified directors as contemplated by a voting agreement among certain of them, they will be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and the approval of significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or our assets. This concentration of ownership could limit your ability to influence corporate matters and may have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring control over us.

The members of our board of directors and our executive officers have broad rights.

Our business is operated under the control of our board of directors and officers. Stockholders have no right to take part in the control of our affairs or the day-to-day management or operation of the business. Stockholders are permitted to vote only in a limited number of circumstances. While the members of the board of directors are accountable as fiduciaries and are obligated to exercise duties of due care, loyalty, and full disclosure in handling our affairs, the board of directors is entitled to certain limitations of liability and to indemnity by us. Such indemnity and limitation of liability may limit rights that our stockholders would otherwise have to seek redress against the board of directors. Our executive officers are entitled to similar indemnification and limitation of liability. Our stockholders who have questions concerning the duties of the board of directors to our stockholders should consult their own legal counsel.

Anti-takeover provisions could impair a takeover attempt of our company even if the transaction would be beneficial to our stockholders and could make it difficult for you to change our management.

Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws and applicable provisions of Nevada law may have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying, or preventing an acquisition of our company, even when this would be in the best interest of our stockholders.

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws include provisions that provide for the following:

• authorize our board of directors to issue, without further action by the stockholders, up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock;
• specify that special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by our board of directors or the chairman of our board of directors;
• establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors;
• establish that our board of directors is divided into three classes, Class I, Class II, and Class III, with each class serving three-year staggered terms;
• prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors; and
• provide that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by a majority of directors then in office, even though less than a quorum.

In addition, we are subject to Section 78.438 of the Nevada General Corporation Law, which generally prohibits a Nevada corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with an interested stockholder for a period of two years following the date on which the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless such transactions are approved by our board of directors. This provision could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of our company, whether or not it is desired by or beneficial to our stockholders. In addition, other provisions of Nevada law may also discourage, delay, or prevent someone from acquiring us or merging with us.

These provisions, alone or together, could delay or prevent hostile takeovers and changes in control or changes in our management. Any provision of our articles of incorporation or bylaws or Nevada law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our Common Stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Common Stock.

Since we do not expect to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future, our stockholders may be forced to sell their stock in order to obtain a return on their investment.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock, and we do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of our PNC Loan Agreement and the Credit Agreement restrict our ability to declare cash dividends. We plan to retain any future earnings to finance our operations and growth plans. Our credit agreement also prohibits us from paying dividends on our Common Stock. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of shares of their Common Stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment.

Our business could be negatively affected as a result of actions of activist stockholders, and such activism could impact the trading value of our securities.

Stockholders may, from time to time, engage in proxy solicitations or advance stockholder proposals, or otherwise attempt to effect changes and assert influence on our board of directors and management. Activist campaigns that contest or conflict with our strategic direction or seek changes in the composition of our board of directors could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. A proxy contest would require us to incur significant legal and advisory fees, proxy solicitation expenses and administrative and associated costs and require significant time and attention by our board of directors and management, diverting their attention from the pursuit of our business strategy. Any perceived uncertainties as to our future direction and control, our ability to execute on our strategy, or changes to the composition of our board of directors or senior management team arising from a proxy contest could lead to the perception of a change in the direction of our business or instability which may result in the loss of potential business opportunities, make it more difficult to pursue our strategic initiatives, or limit our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and business partners, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results. If individuals are ultimately elected to our board of directors with a specific agenda, it may adversely affect our ability to effectively implement our business strategy and create additional value for our stockholders. We may choose to initiate, or may become subject to, litigation as a result of the proxy contest or matters arising from the proxy contest, which would serve as a further distraction to our board of directors and management and would require us to incur significant additional costs. In addition, actions such as those described above could cause significant fluctuations in our stock price based upon temporary or speculative market perceptions or other factors that do not necessarily reflect the underlying fundamentals and prospects of our business.

Future sales of our Common Stock in the public market by our existing stockholders, or the perception that such sales might occur, could depress the market price of our Common Stock.

The market price of our Common Stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our Common Stock in the market, and even the perception that these sales could occur may depress the market price. As of December 31, 2024, we had 20,606,395 shares of our Common Stock outstanding. Many of these shares may be sold in the public market, subject to prior registration or qualification for an exemption from registration, including, in the case of shares held by affiliates, compliance with the volume restrictions of Rule 144. Shares held by affiliates of our company, which generally include our directors, officers, and certain principal stockholders, are subject to the resale limitations of Rule 144 as described below. We also may register for resale shares that are deemed to be “restricted securities” or shares held by affiliates of our company.

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, any person or persons whose shares are aggregated for purposes of Rule 144, who is deemed an affiliate of our company and beneficially owns restricted securities with respect to which at least six months has elapsed since the later of the date the shares were acquired from us, or from an affiliate of ours, is entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of 1% of the then outstanding shares of our Common Stock and the average weekly trading volume in Common Stock during the four calendar weeks preceding such sale. Sales by affiliates under Rule 144 also are subject to certain manner-of-sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. Rule 701, as currently in effect, permits our employees, officers, directors, and consultants who purchase shares pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract to resell these shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without compliance with specific restrictions.

Rule 701 provides that affiliates may sell their Rule 701 shares under Rule 144 without complying with the holding period requirement and that non-affiliates may sell their shares in reliance on Rule 144 without complying with the holding period, public information, volume limitation, or notice provisions of Rule 144. A person who is not an affiliate, who has not been an affiliate within three months prior to sale, and who beneficially owns restricted securities with respect to which at least one year has elapsed since the later of the date the shares were acquired from us, or from an affiliate of ours, is entitled to sell such shares under Rule 144 without regard to any of the volume limitations or other requirements described above. Sales of substantial amounts of our Common Stock in the public market could adversely affect the market price for our Common Stock.

As of December 31, 2024, we had 3,960,595 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options, deferred stock units (“DSUs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and warrants under our incentive compensation plan and other option and warrant agreements. Upon the exercise of stock options and warrants, such shares generally will be eligible for sale in the public market, except that affiliates will continue to be subject to volume limitations and other requirements of Rule 144. The issuance or sale of such shares could depress the market price of our Common Stock.

Future sales and issuances of our Common Stock or rights to purchase Common Stock by us, including pursuant to our equity incentive plan and employee stock purchase plan, could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders and could cause our stock price to fall.

We intend to issue additional securities pursuant to our equity incentive plan and our employee stock purchase plan may issue equity or convertible securities in the future. To the extent we do so, our stockholders may experience substantial dilution. We may sell Common Stock, convertible securities, or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. If we sell Common Stock, convertible securities, or other equity securities in more than one transaction, investors may be materially diluted by subsequent sales and new investors could gain rights superior to our existing stockholders.

Risk Management and Strategy

We support a risk-based cybersecurity program with control alignment to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (“NIST CSF”). The core functions of the program are designed to manage cyber-related risks and strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture of our organization.

Annual external cybersecurity and compliance assessments are conducted for the identification, prioritization, and remediation of cyber-related risks to the company’s information systems and data. Ongoing internal risk assessments are conducted to ensure protective and detective security controls perform as expected.

Risk Mitigation

To mitigate identified cyber-related risks to our organization, we employ a multi-layered approach that has been integrated into our overall risk management systems and processes that includes:

• Security Controls: We have implemented industry-standard security controls aligned with the NIST CSF framework such as identity and access control, multi-factor authentication, encryption, and data protection measures.
• Security Awareness: We conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training to educate employees about potential threats and best practices for safeguarding company assets and data. In addition, we conduct periodic phishing tests to enhance our security awareness program.
• Third-Party Oversight: We evaluate third-party partners’ cybersecurity practices through due diligence assessments and contractual obligations. Our risk management program also assesses third party risks, and we perform third-party risk management to identify and mitigate risks from third parties associated with our use of third-party service providers. Cybersecurity risks are evaluated when determining the selection and oversight of applicable third-party service providers.
• Continuous Monitoring: We have partnered with a third-party Managed Security Services Provider to provide event logging, monitoring for detection of cybersecurity events, and assistance with investigations into possible cyber-related events, as well as assessment and consultation on security enhancements.
• Business Resiliency: We have developed emergency response, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans to respond to a widespread disruption to business operations.
• Continuous Improvement: Any previous cybersecurity incidents, whether material or not, have resulted in improvements in the company’s cybersecurity program, policies, or technical controls, where applicable.

Cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, have not materially affected and we believe are not reasonably likely to affect our company, including our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. We and our third-party partners have frequently been the target of cybersecurity threats and expect them to continue. For an additional description of these cybersecurity risks and potential related impacts on us, see “Risk Factors - Cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities could lead to increased costs, liability claims, unauthorized access to customer data, or harm to our reputation” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Governance

Cybersecurity is an important part of our risk management processes and an area of focus for our Board of Directors and management team. We have established a cybersecurity governance framework that encompasses policies, procedures, and controls designed to support cybersecurity risk management practices. Our Senior Information Systems Administrator is responsible for assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. This position reports directly to our Senior Vice President of Business Transformation. In addition, we have retained Virtual Chief Information Security Officer services to support our cybersecurity risk management and governance practices. Such individuals have substantial prior work experience in various roles involving cybersecurity risk management and information technology, including security, compliance, systems and programming, and bring a wealth of expertise in their roles. These individuals are informed about, and monitor the prevention, mitigation, detection and remediation of cybersecurity incidents through their management of, and participation in, the cybersecurity risk management and strategy process described above, and report to our Managed Security Services Provider and our Board of Directors on any appropriate items. Our Board of Directors oversees the cybersecurity program and receives program metrics as well as information related to identified cyber-related risks when meeting with the company’s management.

While we continuously invest in cybersecurity controls, we acknowledge the possibility of cybersecurity incidents despite our efforts. These incidents may include unauthorized access, data breaches, ransomware attacks, and service disruptions. We have contracted with a cyber insurance provider, Incident Response provider, and a Managed Security Services Provider to minimize the impact of such events and support prompt detection, containment, and recovery measures.

Our executive offices are located in The Colony, Texas, where we lease approximately 16,200 square feet under a lease that expires in December 2027. We also have an administrative office in Pennsylvania. We believe that our current facilities are adequate to meet our needs for the near future and that suitable additional or alternative space will be available on commercially reasonable terms to accommodate our foreseeable future operations.

We may be subject to legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we are not aware of any legal proceedings to which we are a party that we believe could have a material adverse effect on us.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements, based upon our current expectations and related to future events and our future financial performance, that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our Business

We are a national provider of waste and recycling services to customers from across multiple industry sectors that are typically larger, multi-location businesses. We create customer-specific programs and perform the related services for the collection, processing, recycling, disposal, and tracking of waste streams and recyclables to maximize resource utilization. Our programs and services enable our customers to address their business, sustainability and ESG goals and responsibilities.

We believe our services are comprehensive, innovative, and cost effective. Our services are designed to enable our business customers to capture the commodity value of their waste streams and recyclables, better manage their disposal and total operating costs, enhance their management of environmental risks, enhance their legal and regulatory compliance, and achieve their business and environmental goals while maximizing the efficiency of their assets. Our services currently focus on the waste streams and recyclables from big box retailers, including grocers and other specialty retailers; transportation, logistics, and fleet operators; manufacturing and industrial facilities; automotive after-market operations such as automotive maintenance, quick lube, dealerships, and collision repair; multi-family and commercial properties; restaurant chains and food operations; and construction and demolition projects. We currently concentrate on programs for recycling cardboard, pallets, metal, glass, motor oil and automotive lubricants, oil filters, scrap tires, oily water, goods destruction, food waste, meat renderings, cooking oil and grease trap waste, plastics, mixed paper, construction debris, as well as a large variety of regulated and non-regulated solid, liquid, and gas wastes. In addition, we offer products such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluid, dumpster and compacting equipment, and other minor ancillary services.

We also provide information and data that tracks and reports the detailed transactional and environmental results of our services and provides actionable data to improve business operations. The data we generate enables our customers to address their environmental goals and responsibilities and to report to internal and external parties such as employees, investors, business partners, and governmental agencies.

Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 Operating Results

Our consolidated financial statements include the operating activities of our company and our subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.

The following table summarizes our operating results for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):

Year Ended December 31, 2024 compared with Year Ended December 31, 2023

Global Economic Trends

There has been heightened uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment, characterized by increasing unemployment, significant inflation, and decreased consumer and business spending. There are also significant geopolitical concerns, including the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which have created extreme volatility in the global capital markets and are expected to have further global economic consequences, including disruptions of the global supply chain and energy markets. Any such volatility and disruptions may have adverse consequences on us or the third parties on whom we rely. If the equity and credit markets deteriorate, including as a result of political unrest or war, it may make any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain in a timely manner or on favorable terms, more costly or more dilutive. Inflation can adversely affect us by increasing our costs, including salary costs. Any significant increases in inflation and related increases in interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Revenue

For the year ended December 31, 2024, revenue was $288.5 million, an increase of $0.1 million, or 0.1%, compared with revenue of $288.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Newly added customers in the current year contributed $18.6 million in additional revenue ($8.5 million in the fourth quarter) compared to the prior year. Additionally, overall demand was mostly strong for the remaining business which, in total, contributed $25.6 million in additional revenue, an increase of almost 13% from 2023. These increases were mostly offset by lower volumes from lost customers and services and lower volumes due to soft conditions in a certain customer’s end markets. These reductions resulted in a decrease of revenues of $44.0 million, which includes lower than expected production volumes at one of our largest customers due to soft conditions in their end market. Approximately one-third of the lower revenues is associated with customers, both former and current, related to the disposal group held for sale. See Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Cost of Revenue/Gross Profit

Cost of revenue increased to $238.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, from $238.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The changes in cost of revenues were primarily due to the changes in revenue described above. Additionally, we experienced higher cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue in 2024 due to on-boarding and ramping up of new customers which was offset by the reductions from the lower volumes described in the revenues section whose margins were lower overall than the company’s average gross margin. In addition, in 2023 we recorded $1.2 million in cost of revenue related to unreconciled accounts payable from a 2021 acquisition, and in the fourth quarter of 2024, we recorded approximately $1.0 million in cost of revenues related to unreconciled accounts payable related to 2021 and 2022 payments.

Gross profit decreased $(0.1) million to $50.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, from $50.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our gross profit margin was 17.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared with 17.4% for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Revenue, gross profit, and gross profit margins are affected period to period by the volumes of waste and recyclable materials generated by our customers, the frequency and type of services provided, the price and mix of the services provided, price changes for recyclable materials, the cost and mix of subcontracted services provided in any one reporting period, and the timing of acquisitions and integrations. Volumes of waste and recyclable materials generated by our customers are impacted period to period based on several factors including their production or sales levels, demand of their product or services in the market, supply chain reliability, and labor force stability, among other business factors.

Operating Expenses

For the year ended December 31, 2024, operating expenses increased to $54.5 million from $47.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Selling, general, and administrative expenses were $39.5 million and $37.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase primarily relates to increases in overall labor related expenses of $0.8 million, which includes the benefit of an approximately $0.8 million reduction in year over year bonus expense in 2024, mostly related to unearned executive bonus expense. Professional fees also increased by $0.4 million compared to the prior year. Additionally, bad debt expense increased $0.2 million compared to the prior year, which included approximately $0.5 million in additional bad debt reserve for certain customers related to the assets held for sale. Operating expenses included depreciation and amortization of $9.4 million and $9.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

We recorded a $5.5 million impairment charge for the year ended December 31, 2024 associated with an asset group classified as held for sale. See Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Interest Expense

For the year ended December 31, 2024, interest expense increased to $10.3 million from $9.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to increased borrowings under our revolving credit facility and our equipment term loan in 2024. We are amortizing debt issuance costs of $4.8 million and loan discount costs of $1.8 million to interest expense over the life of the related debt arrangements as discussed in Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.

We refinanced our credit facilities on December 30, 2024 for more favorable interest rate margins. We expect to realize the positive effect of lower interest rates in 2025. See Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Income Taxes

We recorded a provision for income taxes of $0.3 million and $0.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The provision for income taxes for both periods is primarily attributable to state tax obligations based on current estimated state tax apportionments for states with no net operating loss carryforwards and other timing differences.

We recorded a full valuation allowance against all of our deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) as of both December 31, 2024 and 2023. We intend on maintaining a full valuation allowance on our DTAs until there is sufficient evidence to support the reversal of all or some portion of these allowances. However, given our current earnings and anticipated future earnings, we believe that there is a reasonable possibility that within the next 48 to 60 months, sufficient positive evidence may become available to allow us to reach a conclusion that a significant portion of the valuation allowance will no longer be needed. Release of the valuation allowance would result in the recognition of certain DTAs and a decrease to income tax expense for the period the release is recorded. However, the exact timing and amount of the valuation allowance release are subject to change based on the level of profitability that we are able to actually achieve.

Net Loss

Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $(15.1) million compared to net loss of $(7.3) million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The discussions above explain the primary changes related to the change in net results.

Our operating results, including revenue, operating expenses, and operating margins, vary from period to period depending on commodity prices of recycled materials, the volumes and mix of services provided, as well as customer mix during the reporting period, and the timing of acquisitions and integrations.

Loss per Share

Net loss per basic and diluted share attributable to common stockholders was $(0.73) and ($0.36) for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The basic and diluted weighted average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding was approximately 20.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to basic and diluted weighted average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding of approximately 20.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA

For the year ended December 31, 2024, Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, decreased (10.7)% to $14.5 million from $16.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We use the non-GAAP measurement of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-related compensation charges, acquisition-related costs, and other adjustments, or “Adjusted EBITDA,” to evaluate our performance. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure that is also frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate the market value of companies considered to be in similar industries. We suggest that Adjusted EBITDA be viewed in conjunction with our reported financial results or other financial information prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

The following table reflects the reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):

For the year ended December 31, 2024, other adjustments included certain professional fees as well as certain administrative fees related to borrowings. For the year ended December 31, 2023, other adjustments included an earn-out adjustment, severance and project costs, and certain administrative fees related to borrowings.

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share

Adjusted net income (loss), a non-GAAP financial measure, for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $(0.7) million compared with $3.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. We present adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share, both non-GAAP financial measures, supplementally because they are widely used by investors as a valuation measure in the solid waste industry. Management uses adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share as one of the principal measures to evaluate and monitor the ongoing financial performance of our operations. We provide adjusted net income (loss) to exclude the effects of items management believes impact the comparability of operating results between periods. Adjusted net income (loss) has limitations due to the fact that it excludes items that have an impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share are not a substitute for, and should be used in conjunction with, GAAP financial measures. Other companies may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently. Our adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, are calculated as follows (in thousands except per share amounts):

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2024, we had working capital of $30.7 million, including $0.4 million of cash and cash equivalents, compared with working capital of $15.7 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $0.3 million, as of December 31, 2023.

We derive our primary sources of funds for conducting our business activities from operating revenues; borrowings under our credit facilities; and the placement of our equity securities to investors. We require working capital primarily to carry accounts receivable, service debt, purchase capital assets, fund operating expenses, address unanticipated competitive threats or technical problems, withstand adverse economic conditions, fund potential acquisition transactions, and pursue goals and strategies.

We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents of $0.4 million, our borrowing availability under our $45.0 million ABL Facility (as defined and discussed in Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements), and cash expected to be generated from operations will be sufficient to fund our operations for the next 12 months and thereafter for the foreseeable future. Our known current- and long-term uses of cash include, among other possible demands, capital expenditures, lease payments and repayments to service debt and other long-term obligations. We have no agreements, commitments, or understandings with respect to any such placements of our securities and any such placements could be dilutive to our stockholders.

Our Credit Agreement (as described in Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements) provides for, among other things, a senior secured term loan facility in the principal amount of $54.0 million as of December 31, 2024. The maturity date of the term loan facility is June 28, 2030 (the “Maturity Date”). The senior secured term loan will amortize in aggregate annual amounts equal to 1.00% of the original principal amount of the senior secured term loan facility with the balance payable on the Maturity Date. The Credit Agreement also contains a delayed draw term loan facility in the maximum principal amount of $25.0 million. Loans under the delayed draw term loan facility may be requested at any time until December 30, 2026. Proceeds of the delayed draw term loan are permitted to be used for Permitted Acquisitions (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries are the borrowers under the Credit Agreement. The Company is the guarantor under the Credit Agreement. As security for the obligations of the borrowers under the Credit Agreement, (i) the borrowers under the Credit Agreement have granted a first priority lien on substantially all of their tangible and intangible personal property, including a pledge of the capital stock and membership interests, as applicable, of certain of the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries, and (ii) the guarantors under the Credit Agreement have granted a first priority lien on the capital stock and membership interests, as applicable, of the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries.

The Credit Agreement contains certain financial covenants, including a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio and a senior net leverage ratio. In addition, the Credit Agreement contains negative covenants limiting, among other things, additional indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, additional liens, sales of assets, dividends, investments and advances, prepayments of debt, mergers and acquisitions, and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. The Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default, including payment defaults, breaches of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, events of bankruptcy and insolvency, change of control, and failure of any guaranty or security document supporting the Credit Agreement to be in full force and effect. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement may be accelerated and become immediately due and payable. The foregoing is a summary only and does not purport to be a complete description of all the terms, provisions, covenants and agreements contained in the Credit Agreement and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Credit Agreement.

Cash Flows

The following discussion relates to the major components of our cash flows.

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $(6.1) million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared with net cash used in operating activities of $(1.4) million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 related primarily to the net effect of the following:

• net loss of $(15.1) million, which includes a non-cash impairment loss of $5.5 million;
• other non-cash items of $14.8 million, which related primarily to depreciation, amortization of intangible assets and debt issuance costs, provision for doubtful accounts, and stock-based compensation; and
• cash used in the net change in operating assets and liabilities of $(11.4) million, primarily associated with relative changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities.

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 related primarily to the net effect of the following:

• net loss of $(7.3) million;
• non-cash items of $14.2 million, which related primarily to depreciation, amortization of intangible assets and debt issuance costs, provision for doubtful accounts, and stock-based compensation; and
• cash used in the net change in operating assets and liabilities of $(8.2) million, primarily associated with relative changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities.

Our business, including revenue, operating expenses, and operating margins, may vary depending on the blend of services we provide to our customers, the terms of customer contracts, recyclable materials contracts, and our business volume levels. Fluctuations in net accounts receivable are generally attributable to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the timing of cash receipts from customers, and the inception, increase, modification, or termination of customer relationships. Our operating activities may require additional cash in the future from our debt facilities and/or equity financings depending on the level of our operations.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $(6.0) million and primarily related to the purchase of compactors and related equipment. Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $(1.9) million. Other investing activities are primarily from intangible assets such as software development costs and purchases of other property and equipment.

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $12.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily from net borrowings of $9.9 million on our ABL Facility, $2.9 million borrowings from our PNC equipment term loan, and $1.4 million proceeds from stock option exercises and shares issued under our 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“2014 ESPP”), partially offset by $1.3 million repayments of long term debt. Net cash used in financing activities was $(6.0) million for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily from $8.1 million repayment of notes payable, which was partially offset by net borrowings of $1.0 million on our ABL Facility and $1.1 million proceeds from stock option exercises and shares issued under our 2014 ESPP. See Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements for a discussion of the ABL Facility and other notes payable.

Inflation

Although the overall economy has experienced some inflationary pressures, we do not believe that inflation had a material impact on us during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. We believe that current inflationary increases in costs, such as fuel, labor, and certain capital items, can be addressed by our flexible pricing structures and cost recovery fees allowing us to recover certain of the cost of inflation from our customer base. Consistent with industry practice, many of our contracts allow us to pass through certain costs to our customers or adjust pricing. While we believe that we should be able to offset many cost increases that result from inflation in the ordinary course of business, we may be required to absorb at least part of these costs increases due to competitive pressures or delays in timing of rate increases. Although we have not been materially affected by inflation in the past, we can provide no assurance that we will not be affected in the future by higher rates of inflation and increases in interest rates.

Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to areas that require a significant level of judgment or are otherwise subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. These areas include carrying amounts of accounts receivable, goodwill and other intangible assets, deferred taxes and the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired in business acquisitions, assets held for sale, and stock-based compensation expense. We base our estimates on historical experience, our observance of trends in particular areas, and information or valuations and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances and which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Actual amounts could differ significantly from amounts previously estimated.

We believe that of our significant accounting policies, the following may involve a higher degree of judgment and complexity.

Collectability of Accounts Receivable

Our accounts receivable consists primarily of amounts due from customers for the performance of services, and we record the amount net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. To record our accounts receivable at their net realizable value, we assess their collectability, which requires a considerable amount of judgment. We perform a detailed analysis of the aging of our receivables, the creditworthiness of our customers, our historical bad debts, and other adjustments. If economic, industry, or customer specific business trends worsen, we increase the allowance for uncollectible accounts by recording additional expense in the period in which we become aware of the new conditions.

Held for Sale

Assets and liabilities to be disposed of by sale (“disposal groups”) are reclassified into assets and liabilities held for sale on our consolidated balance sheets. The reclassification occurs when all the held for sale criteria have been met. Disposal groups are measured at the lower of carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Assets held for sale are not depreciated or amortized. We assess the recoverability of disposal groups each reporting period they remain classified as held for sale.

Impairment of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, we perform goodwill impairment testing at least annually during the third quarter, unless indicators of impairment exist in interim periods. Our test of goodwill impairment included assessing qualitative factors and the use of judgment in evaluating economic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, and entity-specific events such as market capitalization as compared to book value. The impairment test for goodwill compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with goodwill to its carrying value. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the fair value of its goodwill, we recognize an impairment loss equal to the excess, not to exceed the total amount of recorded goodwill. We performed our most recent goodwill impairment analysis in the third quarter of 2024 with no impairment recorded. In addition, we reevaluated goodwill in the fourth quarter of 2024, when management identified a disposal group designated as held for sale and assigned $5.2 million of goodwill to the disposal group. The remaining goodwill of $81.1 million was assessed for impairment with no impairment recorded. See Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

In addition to the required goodwill impairment analysis, we also review the recoverability of our net intangible assets with finite lives when an indicator of impairment exists. Based on our analysis of estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of these net intangibles with finite lives, we determine if we will recover their carrying values as of the test date. If not recoverable, we record an impairment charge.

Stock Options

We estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model. Significant assumptions used in the calculation were determined as follows:

• We determine the expected life based on a weighted average of historical grants taking into account the vesting period of awards, time until exercise and expiration dates;
• We measure the expected volatility using the historical daily changes in the market price of our Common Stock; and
• We approximate the risk-free interest rate using the implied yield on zero-coupon U.S. Treasury bonds with a remaining maturity equal to the expected term of the awards.

Deferred Stock Units

Non-employee directors can elect to receive all or a portion of their annual retainers in the form of DSUs. The DSUs are recognized at their fair value on the date of grant. Director fees deferred into stock units are calculated and expensed each month by taking fees earned during the month and dividing by the closing price of our common stock on the last trading day of the month, rounded down to the nearest whole share. In addition, certain executive compensation expense is also granted in the form of DSUs. Each DSU represents the right to receive one share of our common stock following the completion of a grantee’s service.

Restricted Stock Units

Non-employee directors receive a portion of their annual board compensation in the form of RSUs. In addition, certain employee compensation is also granted in the form of RSUs. The RSUs are recognized at their fair value on the date of grant. Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of our common stock once fully vested.

Performance Stock Units

Beginning in 2024, certain employees were granted performance stock units (“PSUs”) under our incentive compensation plan. PSUs vest in a range between 0% and 200% based upon certain performance criteria in a three-year period. The PSUs are recognized at their fair value on the date of grant and compensation expense is based on the probable issuance of units at the end of the performance period.

Income Taxes

We use the asset and liability method to account for income taxes. We use significant judgment in determining the provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against net deferred tax assets. We then assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income, and to the extent that recovery is not likely or there is insufficient operating history, we establish a valuation allowance. To the extent we establish or increase a valuation allowance in a period, we include an adjustment within the tax provision of our consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, we had established a full valuation allowance for all deferred tax assets.

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, we did not recognize any assets or liabilities relative to uncertain tax positions, nor do we anticipate any significant unrecognized tax benefits will be recorded during the next 12 months. We recognize any interest or penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Since there are no unrecognized tax benefits as a result of tax positions taken, there are no accrued penalties or interest.

Business Combinations

We account for acquisitions in accordance with ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations. In purchase accounting, identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recognized at their estimated fair values at the acquisition date, and any remaining purchase price is recorded as goodwill. In determining the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, we make significant estimates and assumptions, particularly with respect to long-lived tangible and intangible assets. Critical estimates used in valuing tangible and intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows, discount rates, market prices and asset lives.

Our consolidated financial statements include the results of operations from the date of the acquisition.

We expense all acquisition-related costs as incurred in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, and notes payable. We do not believe that we are exposed to significant currency or credit risks arising from these financial instruments. Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk as all of the borrowings under the senior secured credit facilities bear interest at variable rates. The fair values of these financial instruments approximate their carrying values using Level 3 inputs, based on their short maturities or, for long-term portions of notes payable, based on borrowing rates currently available to us for loans with similar terms and maturities.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no off-balance sheet debt or similar obligations. We have no transactions or obligations with related parties that are not disclosed, consolidated into, or reflected in our reported results of operations or financial position. We do not guarantee any third-party debt.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.

Due to its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate due to changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013). Based on such evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2024.

Audit Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting of the Registered Public Accounting Firm

Semple, Marchal & Cooper, LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the consolidated financial

statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of their audit, has issued their report, included herein, on the

effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified by management’s evaluation pursuant to Rules 13a-15(d) or 15d-15(d) of the Exchange Act during the most recent fiscal quarter that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls and Procedures

Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls over financial reporting will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues, misstatements, errors, and instances of fraud, if any, within our company have been or will be prevented or detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Controls also can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Projections of any evaluation of controls effectiveness to future periods are subject to risks. Over time, internal controls may become inadequate as a result of changes in conditions, or through the deterioration of the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.