WASHINGTON — Republic Services Inc. and Allied Waste Industries Inc. agreed Wednesday to sell certain assets in order to push ahead a pending $4.5 billion acquisition that would create the second-largest U.S. trash hauling company, the Justice Department said.
The agreed settlement will require both trash haulers to divest 87 commercial waste collection routes, nine landfills and 10 transfer stations, plus other assets.
Both Republic Services and Allied Waste said Wednesday they still expect the deal — which has been approved by both companies' shareholders — to close by the end of the fourth quarter.
The merger proposed in June would create a $9.24 billion rival to industry leader Waste Management Inc., which reported revenue of $13.31 billion in 2007.