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                                                                     EXHIBIT 2.1


         THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED THE 7TH DAY OF JUNE, 1997

B E T W E E N:


                 REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS (FORT ERIE) LTD., a corporation
                 incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario,
                 REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS (BRANTFORD) LTD., a corporation
                 incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, and
                 REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS (PICKERING) LTD., a corporation
                 incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario

                 (hereinafter collectively called the "Vendors")

                 - and -

                 PHILIP ENTERPRISES INC., a corporation amalgamated pursuant to
                 the laws of the Province of Ontario

                 (hereinafter called the "Purchaser")

                 - and -

                 REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, INC., a corporation
                 incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware

                 (hereinafter called "RESI")

         WHEREAS the Vendors carry on the business of liquid and solid
hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment, storage, disposal and
transportation services from their facilities located in Fort Erie, Brantford
and Pickering, Ontario;

         AND WHEREAS the Purchaser wishes to purchase from the Vendors and the
Vendors wish to sell to the Purchaser, certain property, assets and
undertakings pertaining to the said business upon the terms and conditions
herein contained;

         NOW THEREFORE THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH that in consideration of these
presents, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto covenant and promise and agree with each other as follows:


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                                   ARTICLE 1
                                  DEFINITIONS


1.1      In this Agreement and in any amending or supplemental agreement
hereto, unless the subject matter or context is inconsistent therewith, the
following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth below:

         (a)     "AGREEMENT", "THIS AGREEMENT", "HERETO", "HEREIN", "HEREOF",
         "HEREBY", "HEREUNDER" and similar expressions refer to this Agreement
         as amended from time to time;

         (b)     "BENEFIT PLANS", means the employee benefit plans as more
         fully described in Schedule 1.1(b) attached hereto;

         (c)     "BUSINESS" means the business of operating the liquid and
         solid hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment, storage, disposal
         and transportation services presently carried on by the Vendors at
         their facilities located in Fort Erie, Brantford and Pickering,
         Ontario;

         (d)     "BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a day which is a
         Saturday, a Sunday or a Statutory holiday in the Province of Ontario;

         (e)     "CLOSING" means the completion of the sale and purchase by the
         Purchaser of the Purchased Assets under this Agreement;

         (f)     "CLOSING DATE" means the 7th day of July, 1997 or such earlier
         or later date as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties
         hereto but in any event, no later than the 31st day of July, 1997;

         (g)     "CONTAMINANT" means any solid, liquid, gas, odour, heat,
         sound, vibration, radiation, or combination of any of them resulting
         directly or indirectly from human activities that may cause any of the
         following: (i) impairment of the quality of the Natural Environment
         for any use that can be made of it; (ii) injury or damage to property
         or to plant or animal life; (iii) harm or material discomfort to any
         person; (iv) an adverse effect on the health of any person; (v)
         impairment of the safety of any person; (vi) rendering any property or
         plant or animal life unfit for human use; (vii) loss of enjoyment of
         normal use of property; and (viii) interference with the normal
         conduct of business;

         (h)     "CONTRACTS" shall have the meaning attributed hereto in
         Section 2.1(n) hereof;

         (i)     "ENCUMBRANCES" means mortgages, charges, pledges, security
         interests, liens, encumbrances, actions, claims, demands and equities
         of any nature whatsoever or howsoever arising and any rights or
         privileges capable of becoming any of the foregoing;





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         (j)     "ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITY" means any activity, event or
         circumstance in respect of a Contaminant, including, without
         limitation, its storage, use, holding, collection, purchase,
         accumulation, assessment, generation, manufacture, construction,
         processing, treatment, stabilization, disposition, handling or
         transportation, or its Release, escape, leaching, dispersal or
         migration into or movement through the Natural Environment;

         (k)     "ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS" means at any time any and all of the then
         applicable international, federal, state, municipal or local laws,
         statutes, regulations, codes, rules, treaties, orders, judgments,
         decrees and ordinances relating in full or in part to the protection
         of the Natural Environment or Environmental Activity, product
         liability and employee and public health and safety;

         (l)     "EQUIPMENT" means the equipment beneficially owned by the
         Vendors and used in the Business, as more particularly set out in
         Schedule 1.1(l);

         (m)     "EQUIPMENT LEASES" means those leases for equipment used in
         the Business by the Vendors as more particularly set out in Schedule
         1.1(m);

         (n)     "FINANCIAL STATEMENTS" means the  unaudited combined statement
         of assets, liabilities and stockholders' equity for the fiscal period
         ended December 31, 1996 and the accompanying statement of revenue,
         expenses and retained earnings and statement of cashflows for the
         period then ended as reported on by the Vendors and prepared in
         accordance with GAAP and a copy of such statements is attached as
         Schedule 1.1(n);

         (o)     "GAAP" means at any time, generally accepted accounting
         principles in Canada at such time.

         (p)     "GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" means: (i) any multinational, federal,
         state, municipal, local or other governmental or public department,
         court, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic
         or foreign; (ii) any subdivision, agent, commission, board, or
         authority of any of the foregoing; or (iii) any quasi-governmental or
         private body exercising any regulatory, expropriation or taxing
         authority under or for the account of any of the foregoing;

         (q)     "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE" means: (i) any flammable explosives;
         (ii) radioactive materials; (iii) substances included within the
         definitions of "hazardous substances", "hazardous materials", or
         "toxic substances" in the Environmental Laws or any regulations or
         rules promulgated pursuant to the Environmental Laws, all as enacted,
         promulgated and published and as enforced by authorities of competent
         jurisdiction as at the Closing; (iv) asbestos; (v) polychlorinated
         biphenyls, (vi) radon and (vii) gasoline, waste oil and other
         petroleum products;





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         (r)     "INTERIM PERIOD" means the period between the date of
         execution of this Agreement and the Time of Closing.

         (s)     "LAWS" means all statutes, codes, ordinances, decrees, rules,
         regulations, municipal by-laws, judicial or arbitral or administrative
         or ministerial or departmental or regulatory judgments, orders,
         decisions, rulings or awards, policies, voluntary restraints,
         guidelines, or any provisions of the foregoing, including general
         principles of common and civil law and equity, binding on or affecting
         the Person referred to in the context in which such word is used; and
         "LAW" means any one of them;

         (t)     "LEASES" means the lease and subleases of real property to
         which the Vendors are a party, as listed and described in the attached
         Schedule 1.1(t);

         (u)     "LEASED EQUIPMENT" means the equipment used in relation to the
         Business that is leased pursuant to the Equipment Leases;

         (v)     "LICENSE" means any permit, license, certificate, approval or
         authorization required under applicable Environmental Laws;

         (w)     "LOSS" means any loss whatsoever, including expenses, costs,
         damages, penalties, fines, charges, claims, demands, liabilities,
         interest and any and all legal fees and disbursements;

         (x)     "NATURAL ENVIRONMENT" means the air, land, subsoil, surface
         water and ground water, or any combination or part thereof in any
         jurisdiction in which the Vendors carries on business;

         (y)     "NET WORKING CAPITAL" means cash and cash equivalents plus
         Accounts Receivable (net of any allowance for bad debts) plus
         inventory plus pre-paid expenses less accounts payable less accrued
         liabilities;

         (z)     "PERMITS" shall have the meaning attributed hereto in Section
         2.1(j), copies of which are more particularly set out in Schedule
         1.1(z);

         (aa)    "PERMITTED ENCUMBRANCES" means the Encumbrances set out in
         Schedule 1.1(aa);

         (bb)    "PERSON" includes an individual, partnership, corporation,
         trust or unincorporated organization, a Governmental Entity or
         political subdivision thereof, a regulatory body or agency or any
         combination of the foregoing;

         (cc)    "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning attributed thereto in
         Section 3.1;




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         (dd)    "PURCHASED ASSETS" means the undertaking and assets of the
         Business, which are to be sold by the Vendors to the Purchaser
         pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof;

         (ee)    "REAL PROPERTY" means all the real property, the registered
         and beneficial ownership of which is held by the Vendors or an
         affiliate and used in relation to the Business, which property is as
         described in Schedule 1.1(ee);
                                                    
         (ff)    "RELEASE" means, without limitation, to deposit, leak, emit,
         add, spray, inject, inoculate, abandon, spill, seep, pour, empty,
         throw, dump, place and exhaust, and when used as a noun has a similar
         meaning;

         (gg)    "TIME OF CLOSING" means 1:00 p.m. (local time) on the Closing 
         Date.

1.2      CURRENCY OF FUNDS:  Unless otherwise indicated all dollar amounts
referred to in this Agreement are in United States funds.

1.3      INTERPRETATION NOT AFFECTED BY HEADINGS OR PARTY DRAFTING:  The
division of this Agreement into articles, sections, paragraphs, subparagraphs
and clauses and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only
and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.  The
terms "this Agreement", "hereof", "herein", "hereunder" and similar expressions
refer to this Agreement and the schedules hereto and not to any particular
article, section, paragraph, subparagraph, clause or other portion hereof and
include any agreement or instrument supplementary or ancillary hereto.  Each
party hereto acknowledges that it and its legal counsel have reviewed and
participated in settling the terms of this Agreement.

1.4      NUMBER AND GENDER:  Words importing the singular include the plural
and vice versa, and words importing gender include all genders.

1.5      CALCULATION OF TIME:  When calculating the period of time within or
following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement,
the date which is the reference date in calculating such period shall be
excluded.  If the last day of such period is not a Business Day, the period in
question shall end on the next Business Day.

1.6      SCHEDULES:  The following are the schedules attached to and
incorporated in this Agreement by reference and deemed to be part hereof:

Schedule 1.1(b)                         Benefit Plans
Schedule 1.1(l)                         Equipment
Schedule 1.1(m)                         Equipment Leases
Schedule 1.1(n)                         Financial Statements
Schedule 1.1(t)                         Leases
Schedule 1.1(z)                         Permits
Schedule 1.1(aa)                        Permitted Encumbrances




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Schedule 1.1(ee)                        Real Property
Schedule 2.1(e)                         Customer List
Schedule 2.1(m)                         Supply Contracts
Schedule 2.1(n)                         Contracts
Schedule 2.1(o)                         Intellectual Properties
Schedule 2.3                            Assumed Liabilities
Schedule 2.4                            Retained Liabilities
Schedule 3.1                            Purchased Assets
Schedule 3.3(a)                         Note
Schedule 3.3(b)                         Guarantee
Schedule 3.5                            Allocation of Purchase Price
Schedule 4.1(p)                         Environmental Matters
Schedule 4.1(r)                         Litigation
Schedule 4.1(t)                         Employee Matters
Schedule 5.1(a)                         Retained Employees
Schedule 7.2(e)                         Non-Competition Agreement

Schedule 8.8                            Letters of Credit and Bonds


                                   ARTICLE 2
                         AGREEMENT OF PURCHASE AND SALE


2.1      PURCHASED ASSETS:  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the
Vendors hereby agree to sell, assign, transfer and convey to the Purchaser and
the Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase from the Vendors, free and clear of
Encumbrances, all of the property, assets and undertakings owned by the Vendors
(other than the property and assets described in Section 2.2) and used in the
operation of the Business, including, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing:

         (a)   MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE:  all machinery, equipment,
         computer equipment, tools, furniture, furnishings and other
         miscellaneous items used in or relating to the Business including,
         without limitation, all those listed in Schedule 1.1(l) attached
         hereto;

         (b)   LEASED EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES:  all right, title and interest of
         the Vendors in and under leases of equipment and vehicles used in or
         relating to the Business including, without limitation, all leases and
         other agreements listed in Schedule 1.1(m) attached hereto;

         (c)   PREPAID EXPENSES:  all prepaid expenses which are usable and
         consumable in the ordinary course of the Business relating to the
         Equipment, Leased Equipment and spare parts thereto of the Business as
         of the Time of Closing except for all prepaid insurance expenses;





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         (d)   REAL PROPERTY:  all rights, title and interest of the Vendors in
         and to the Real Property set forth in Schedule 1.1(ee);

         (e)   CUSTOMER LISTS AND INFORMATION:  all customer lists, files, data
         and information relating to customers and prospective customers of the
         Business as of the Time of Closing, which most current customer list
         is attached hereto as Schedule 2.1(e);

         (f)   WARRANTY RIGHTS AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS:  the full benefit of 
         all warranties and warranty rights (express and implied) against
         manufacturers or sellers which apply to any of the Purchased Assets
         and all maintenance contracts on machinery, equipment and the other
         Purchased Assets;

         (g)   INVENTORIES:  all raw materials and work-in-progress which are 
         used or held for use by Vendors in the operation of the Business;

         (h)   BUSINESS RECORDS:  all books, records, files and documents 
         relating to the Business, including without limitation, books of 
         account, ledgers, journals, sales and purchase records, lists of 
         suppliers, credit information, cost and pricing information, business 
         reports, plans and projections and all other correspondence, data and
         information, financial or otherwise, in any format and media
         whatsoever, related to the Business;

         (i)   GOODWILL:  the goodwill of the Business, together with the
         exclusive right of the Purchaser to represent itself as carrying on
         the Business in continuation of and in succession to the Vendors

         (j)   LICENSE RIGHTS AND PERMITS:  all licenses, permits and other 
         rights and privileges owned or held by the Vendors in relation to the
         Business including those described in Schedule 1.1(z), other than
         those licenses specifically set out in such schedule as being
         non-transferable;

         (k)   REGULATORY LICENSES:  all licenses, registrations and
         qualifications of the Business required by any governmental or
         regulatory authority, to the extent transferable, including those
         described in Schedule 1.1(z);

         (l)   INSURANCE BENEFITS:  any benefits payable under all insurance
         policies relating to the Business or the other Purchased Assets in
         respect of claims based on occurrences prior to the Time of Closing as
         included in assets and balance sheets contained in the Financial
         Statements;

         (m)   SUPPLY CONTRACTS:  the full benefit of all contracts providing 
         for the supply of goods and services to the Business which are
         referred to in Schedule 2.1(m);

         (n)   CONTRACTS:  all right, title and interest of the Vendors in, to 
         and under, and the full benefit of, the customer contracts, all other
         revenue generating contracts and agreements of or pertaining to the
         Business to which the Vendors are party, as set out in Schedule 2.1(n)
         attached hereto;





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         (o)   INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:  all right, title, interest and benefit of
         Vendors in and to all patents, copyrights, registered and unregistered
         trademarks, tradenames, logos, commercial symbols, industrial designs
         (including applications for all of the foregoing and renewals,
         divisions, extensions and re-issues, where applicable, relating
         thereto), inventions, licenses, trade secrets, patterns, drawings,
         computer software, formulae, technical information, concepts, methods,
         procedures, designs, service-marks and all other intellectual or
         industrial property relating to the Business or the Purchased Assets
         including without limitation the property listed in Schedule 2.1(o)
         ("Intellectual Properties");

         (p)   ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE:  all accounts receivable, notes receivable,
         rights to receive payments, and other debts due or accruing due to
         Vendors, generated by the Business and relating to work performed
         prior to the Time of Closing and any actions or proceedings which have
         been commenced in connection therewith ("Accounts Receivable"); and

         (q)   OTHER AGREEMENTS:  all of the Vendors' right, title and interest
         to and under all contracts and agreements (written or oral) relating
         directly or indirectly to the Business as required for the operation
         of the Business.

         (all of which property and assets are herein collectively referred to
         as the "Purchased Assets").

2.2      EXCLUDED ASSETS:  There shall be specifically excluded from the 
Purchased Assets the following property and assets of the Vendors pertaining to
the Business:

         (a)   the real property located in Pickering, Ontario, municipally 
         known as 1070 Toy Avenue, Pickering, Ontario (the "Pickering 
         Facility");

         (b)   all machinery, equipment and furniture located at the Pickering 
         Facility;

         (c)   Certificate of Approval #A390414 in respect of the Pickering 
         Facility; and

         (d)   any proceeds received from the surrender, satisfaction or
         replacement of the Financial Assurances pursuant to Section 8.8 of
         this Agreement.

2.3      ASSUMED LIABILITIES:  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the
Purchaser shall assume the following obligations of the Vendors pertaining to
the Business upon Closing ("Assumed Liabilities"):

         (a)   all remaining obligations under the Equipment Leases, the Leases,
         the Benefit Plans and all Contracts to be assigned to the Purchaser as
         at the Time of Closing, it being agreed that any obligations under
         such leases, contracts and plans





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         which occurred or arose prior to the Time of Closing are not being
         assumed by the Purchaser and shall remain the liability of the
         Vendors;

         (b)   third party trade payables and operating accruals of the Business
         as at the Time of Closing; and

         (c)   waste disposal accruals,

         all of such Assumed Liabilities being more particularly set forth in 
         Schedule 2.3.

         The Vendors will not be liable for, and the Purchaser will defend, 
indemnify and save harmless the Vendors, its officers, directors, employees,
agents and shareholders from and against all obligations, commitments,
expenses, costs and liabilities of and claims against the Vendors (whether
absolute, accrued or contingent) relating to the Assumed Liabilities outlined
in this Section 2.3.

2.4      RETAINED LIABILITIES AND INDEMNITY:  The Purchaser will not assume and
will not be liable for, and the Vendors will indemnify and save harmless the
Purchaser, its officers, directors, employees, agents and shareholders from and
against, all obligations, commitments, expenses, costs and liabilities of and
claims against the Purchaser (whether absolute, accrued or contingent) relating
to the Business, except for the Assumed Liabilities outlined in Section 2.3
above and any liabilities which are subject to the Purchaser's indemnification
obligation pursuant to Section 8.3(d).  Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, it is agreed that the Purchaser will have no liability for any of
the following obligations and liabilities ("Retained Liabilities"):

         (a)     all liabilities in respect of all indebtedness of the Vendors
         to all persons, except as may be included in the assumed liabilities
         outlined in Section 2.3 above;

         (b)     all product liability claims and liabilities for product
         claims relating to any product or service of the Business produced,
         sold performed or delivered prior to the Closing Date;

         (c)     all liabilities for all taxes, duties, levies, assessments and
         other such charges, including any penalties, interests and fines with
         respect thereto, payable by the Vendors to any federal, provincial,
         local or other governmental agency, authority, board, bureau or
         commission, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, any
         taxes in respect of or measured by the sale, consumption or
         performance by the Vendors of any product or service prior to the
         Closing Date and pursuant to any legislation in respect of all
         remuneration payable to all persons employed in the Business prior to
         the Closing Date.

         (d)     all liabilities for salary, bonus, vacation pay and other
         compensation and all liabilities under employee benefit plans of the
         Vendors relating to employment of all persons in the Business prior to
         the Time of Closing;





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         (e)     all severance payments, costs or expenses associated with the
         termination of any of the corporate personnel of the Business
         presently located at the corporate offices in Burlington, Ontario, as
         more particularly set out in Schedule 2.4 and all severance payments,
         costs, expenses or damages for wrongful dismissal and all related
         costs in respect of the termination by the Vendors of the employment
         of any employee of the Business who does not accept the Purchaser's
         offer of employment and in respect of any employee of the Business who
         is not offered employment by the Purchaser;

         (f)     all liabilities for claims for injury, disability, death or
         workers' compensation arising from or related to employment in the
         Business prior to the Closing Date.

2.5      PAYMENT OF TAXES:  The Purchaser shall be liable for and shall pay all
applicable federal and provincial sales tax, excise taxes and all other taxes
(other than income taxes of the Vendors), duties and other like charges
properly payable upon and in connection with the conveyance and transfer of the
Purchased Assets to the Purchaser.  The Vendors will do and cause to be done
such things as are reasonably requested to enable the Purchaser to comply with
such obligation in an efficient manner.  The parties agree to jointly make,
execute and file with the appropriate taxation authorities the election
required under subsection 167(1) of the Excise Tax Act (Canada) so that there
is no liability for tax under such Act.  The parties further agree to jointly
make, execute and file with the appropriate taxation authorities the election
required under section 22 of the Income Tax Act (Canada).  Such elections shall
be prepared and filed in form and substance approved by the Purchaser.

2.6      SALES TAX CLEARANCE:  The Vendors hereby represents and warrants to
the Purchaser that all sales taxes and related interest and penalties in
respect of the Business or the Purchased Assets have been fully paid.  The
Vendors shall provide, at the Time of Closing, tax clearances from the Province
of Ontario or Revenue Canada to such effect.



                                   ARTICLE 3
                   PURCHASE PRICE, ALLOCATION AND ADJUSTMENTS

3.1      PURCHASE PRICE:  Subject to the adjustments provided for in this
Agreement pursuant to Sections 3.2 and 3.4, the Purchase Price payable by the
Purchaser to the Vendors for the Purchased Assets shall be the sum of Seven
Million Dollars ($7,000,000).  The Purchase Price shall be allocated to the
Purchased Assets in accordance with Schedule 3.1.  The Parties shall jointly
file elections under Section 22 of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and under
Section 167 of the Excise Tax Act in relation to such allocation.

3.2      ADJUSTMENTS:  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary
contained, the Purchase Price shall be reduced by an amount equal to the value
of all accrued but unpaid





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sick leave credits and employee vacation pay to the extent not paid by the
Vendors as at the close of business the day prior to the Closing Date in
respect of those employees of the Business.  In addition, all taxes, local
improvements, rates, utilities, fuel, prepaid expenses (including insurance
premiums), lease payments and fees and similar adjustments shall be apportioned
and adjusted as at the close of business on the day prior to the Closing Date.

3.3      PAYMENT:  Subject to the adjustments set out in Section 3.2 above, the
Purchase Price shall be paid by the Purchaser to the Vendors by delivery of a
note at Closing in the principal amount of Seven Million Dollars ($7,000,000)
in substantially the form set out in Schedule 3.3(a) (the "Note"), subject to
the guarantee of Philip Services Corp.  described in Schedule 3.3(b) (the
"Guarantee").

3.4      ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE.

         (a)     The Purchase Price shall be adjusted following the Closing
         Date in the following manner:

                 (i)      If the Net Working Capital of the Vendors as reported
                 on the Vendors' balance sheet as of the Closing Date (the
                 "Closing Date Balance Sheet") is less than $468,000, the
                 Purchase Price shall be reduced by an amount equal to the
                 difference between $468,000 and the Net Working Capital of the
                 Vendors as reported on the Closing Date Balance Sheet.

         (b)     The Closing Date Balance Sheet shall be prepared by the
         Vendors in accordance with GAAP and shall be delivered by the Vendors
         to the Purchaser as promptly as practicable and in any event within
         fifteen Business Days after the Closing.

         (c)     The Purchaser shall have the opportunity to examine the work
         papers, schedules and other documents prepared by the Vendors in
         connection with its preparation of the Closing Date Balance Sheet.
         The Closing Date Balance Sheet shall be final and binding on the
         Parties unless, within fifteen Business Days after delivery to the
         Purchaser, notice is given by the Purchaser of its objection setting
         forth in reasonable detail the basis for such objection.  If the
         Parties are unable to reach agreement within fifteen days after the
         notice of objection has been given, the dispute shall be referred for
         resolution to the offices of Ernst & Young LLP (the "Accountants") as
         promptly as practicable.  The Accountants will make a determination as
         to each of the items in dispute, which determination will be (i) in
         writing, (ii) furnished to each of the Parties hereto as promptly as
         practicable after the items in dispute have been referred to the
         Accountants, (iii) made in accordance with this Agreement, and (iv)
         conclusive and binding upon each of the Parties hereto.  The fees and
         expenses of the Accountants will be shared equally by the Purchaser
         and the Vendors.  Each of the Parties hereto will use reasonable
         efforts to cause the Accountants to render their decision as soon as
         reasonably practicable, including, without limitation, by promptly
         complying with all





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         reasonable requests by the Accountants for information, books, records
         and similar items.

         (d)     Within three Business Days after the final determination of
         the Closing Date Balance Sheet, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted
         if and as required by Section 3.4(a) and the amount of any such
         decrease in the Purchase Price shall be set-off against the amount due
         pursuant to the Note.

3.5      ALLOCATION:  The Vendors and the Purchaser covenant to agree upon the
allocation of the Purchase Price among the Purchased Assets which allocation
shall be set out in Schedule 3.5 and which allocation is subject to adjustment
as agreed upon by the parties hereto pursuant to any adjustments under Section
3.4.



                                   ARTICLE 4
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

4.1      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE VENDORS:  To induce the
Purchaser to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transaction of
purchase and sale herein contemplated, the Vendors hereby represent and warrant
to the Purchaser as follows and hereby acknowledge and confirm that the
Purchaser is relying on such representations and warranties in connection with
the purchase by it of the Purchased Assets:



(i)  as to the Vendors;


         (a)     the Vendors are corporations duly incorporated, validly
         existing and in good standing under the laws of the Province of
         Ontario with full corporate capacity, power and authority (i) to own,
         lease and operate the Purchased Assets, (ii) to carry on the Business
         as heretofore conducted by them, (iii) to execute and deliver this
         Agreement, and all other agreements, documents and instruments to be
         executed and delivered pursuant hereto, (iv) to sell, assign,
         transfer, convey and deliver the Purchased Assets to the Purchaser as
         herein contemplated, and (v) to otherwise observe, perform, satisfy
         and carry out their obligations hereunder.  Except as otherwise
         provided herein, the Vendors are duly authorized, qualified,
         permitted, and licensed under all applicable Laws to carry on the
         Business at the locations and in the manner in which such Business is
         now being conducted;

         (b)     the execution and delivery of this Agreement and all other
         agreements, documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by
         the Vendors pursuant hereto or in connection with the completion of
         the transaction contemplated herein will have been duly authorized and
         approved by all necessary action of the board of directors of the
         Vendors on or prior to the Closing Date and by any other necessary
         corporate action on the part of the Vendors to comply with applicable
         law;





                                       12
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         (c)     no suit, action or any other legal proceedings of any nature,
         kind or description whatsoever are pending or are threatened against
         the Vendors which would restrain or otherwise prevent, in any manner,
         the Vendors from effectually and legally transferring good and
         marketable title to the Purchased Assets to the Purchaser hereunder,
         nor are any suits, actions or any other legal proceedings relative to
         the Vendors, the effect of which would be to cause a lien to attach to
         such property or assets or to divest title to such property or assets
         from the Vendors hereunder, pending or threatened, and in particular,
         and without restricting the generality of the foregoing, the Vendors:

                 (i)      have not had any petition or application for a
                 receiving order in bankruptcy filed against them;

                 (ii)     have not filed a proposal under any applicable
                 insolvency, bankruptcy or creditor's rights legislation or
                 otherwise taken any proceedings with respect to a compromise
                 or arrangement with their creditors;

                 (iii)    have not made a voluntary assignment in bankruptcy;

                 (iv)     have not taken any proceedings, nor has any person
                 instituted proceedings, to have the Vendors wound up or to
                 have their charters canceled or their corporate existence
                 terminated;

                 (v)      have not taken any proceedings, nor have any
                 proceedings been filed or taken against them, to have a
                 receiver appointed to all or any part of their property or
                 assets;

         which petition, application, proposal, compromise, arrangement or
         other proceeding is presently pending and no execution has become
         enforceable against the Vendors or become levied upon any of their
         property or assets nor has any encumbrancer taken possession of any of
         the property or assets of the Vendors;

         (d)     no governmental or regulatory authorization, approval, order,
         consent or filing is required on the part of the Vendors in connection
         with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any
         other documents and agreements to be delivered under this Agreement or
         the performance of the Vendors' obligations under this Agreement;

         (e)     the Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance GAAP
         applied consistently, are correct and complete in all material
         respects and present fairly all of the assets, liabilities and
         financial position of the Business for the year ended December 31,
         1996;

         (f)     since March 31, 1997:





                                       13
   14
                 (i)      there has not been any material change in the
                 financial condition, operations or prospects of the Business
                 or the Purchased Assets other than changes in the ordinary and
                 usual course of business, none of which has been materially
                 adverse; or

                 (ii)     there has not been any damage, destruction, loss,
                 labour concerns or other event, development or condition of
                 any character (whether or not covered by insurance) materially
                 and adversely affecting the assets, properties or future
                 prospects of the Business.

         (g)     this Agreement and any ancillary documents pursuant hereto
         have been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Vendors and
         constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Vendors
         enforceable against them in accordance with the respective terms
         thereof, subject to the qualification that enforceability may be
         limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other laws affecting the
         enforceability of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
         principles;

(ii)  as to the Purchased Assets:

         (h)     the Vendors, at the Time of Closing will be the sole
         unconditional owner of, and have good, valid and marketable title to,
         all of the Purchased Assets free and clear of all Encumbrances,
         conditional sale or other title retention agreements, restrictions,
         demands, equities, encumbrances and rights of any Persons or every
         nature, kind and description whatsoever (and, subject to zoning,
         occupancy and similar laws and regulations pertaining to use of the
         Real Properties, easements and restrictions of record, and Permitted
         Encumbrances, has good title to the Real Properties), including
         without limitation, rights of any Person (other than the Purchaser
         hereunder) to acquire any ownership interest in or right to possess or
         occupy any of the Purchased Assets, and the Vendors have the exclusive
         right and full power and authority to sell, assign, transfer, convey
         and deliver good and marketable title to such assets to the Purchaser
         as herein contemplated;

         (i)     all of the Equipment and Leased Equipment used in the
         operation of the Business is in substantially the same state of repair
         as when viewed and examined during the Purchaser's due diligence;

         (j)     the Leases are in good standing with the respective landlords
         and the Vendors are not in breach of any terms each of the Leases nor
         have the Vendors received any notice of breach of any terms of each of
         the Leases;

         (k)     each of the Equipment Leases are in good standing and the
         Vendors are not in breach of any terms of each of the Equipment Leases
         nor have the Vendors received any notice of breach of any terms of
         each of the Equipment Leases;

         (l)     all inventories are in good condition and repair, fit for
         their intended purpose and not obsolete;





                                       14
   15
         (m)     the Contracts and Supply Contracts, true and complete copies
         of which (or, in the case of oral arrangements, brief and accurate
         summaries of which) have been delivered to the Purchaser are in good
         standing and in full force and effect and have not been modified or
         supplemented in any way and constitute the entire agreement between
         the Vendors, on the one hand, and the lessee or other co-contractant
         on the other hand, such that there are no understandings,
         representations, warranties, allowances, concessions or promises
         affecting the Vendors' rights or obligations thereunder except as set
         forth in the said agreements.  There exists no default or event of
         default or event, occurrence, condition or act (including the purchase
         of the Purchased Assets hereunder) which, with the giving of notice,
         lapse of time or the happening of any other event or condition, would
         become a material default or an event of default thereunder, except
         for the necessity of obtaining a consent;

         (n)     all Accounts Receivable shall have arisen only from bona fide
         transactions in the ordinary course of the Business, are fully
         collectible when due and are not subject to counterclaim or set off or
         are disputed by the account debtor except to the extent of the normal
         allowance for doubtful accounts computed in a manner consistent with
         the Vendors' prior practices;

         (o)     The Intellectual Properties used in or reasonably required for
         the carrying on of the Business in the manner heretofore carried on
         are set out in Schedule 2.1(o) and are validly owned by, or validly
         licensed to, the Vendors as indicated in Schedule 2.1(o).  Except as
         otherwise expressly stated in Schedule 2.1(o), the Vendors (i) have
         the right to use such Intellectual Properties; (ii) are the owners of
         record of such Intellectual Properties; and (iii) have not conveyed,
         assigned or encumbered any of them in any manner which would permit
         use in the ordinary course by any party other than the Company.  All
         registrations and filings necessary to preserve the rights of the
         Company in the Intellectual Properties have been made and are in good
         standing.  To the knowledge of the Vendors, the conduct of the
         Business does not infringe upon the intellectual properties of any
         other Person.

         (p)     (i)      Compliance.  The Vendors have conducted and are
                 conducting the Business in material compliance with all
                 applicable Environmental Laws.  There are no outstanding
                 complaints, orders, citations, notices or orders of violation
                 or non-compliance issued to the Vendors under any applicable
                 Environmental Laws, and the Vendors do not to the best of
                 their knowledge have reasonable grounds to know of any facts
                 which could give rise to a notice of non-compliance with any
                 applicable Environmental Laws.  To the best of the Vendors'
                 knowledge, a full and complete listing of any and all
                 violations or alleged violations of any applicable
                 Environmental Laws which have occurred within a period of two
                 (2) years prior to Closing is set out in Schedule 4.1(p).

                 (ii)     Licenses.  The Vendors possess all Licenses required
                 for the operation of the Business as presently conducted by
                 them.  All such





                                       15
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                 Licenses are valid and in full force and effect without
                 conditions other than such conditions which are generally
                 applicable to such Licenses.  To the best of the Vendors'
                 knowledge, a full and complete listing of any and all
                 violations thereof which have occurred or been noted within a
                 period of two (2) years prior to Closing is set out in
                 Schedule 4.1(p).  To the best of the Vendors' knowledge, no
                 proceeding is pending or threatened to revoke or limit any of
                 such Licenses.  The Licenses were not obtained by a
                 misrepresentation or false statement and all relevant facts
                 were disclosed in obtaining the Licenses.

                 (iii)    Offsite Remedial Action.  Except as set forth in
                 Schedule 4.1(p), there are no locations to which the Vendors
                 have ever transported, or ever caused to be transported, or
                 allowed or authorized any third party to transport on behalf
                 of the Vendors, any Hazardous Substances generated by the
                 Vendors for storage, treatment, processing, recycling, burning
                 or disposal which have been designated for remedial action
                 pursuant to any Environmental Laws.

                 (iv)     On-Site Release of Hazardous Substances or
                 Contaminants.  Except as set forth in Schedule 4.1(p), the
                 Vendors have not caused or permitted and do not have any
                 knowledge of, the Release of any Hazardous Substance on any
                 property owned, leased or used by them or of any Release (with
                 respect to which the Vendors would be held liable) from a
                 facility owned or operated by third parties.

                 (v)      Hazardous Substance Spills.  Except as set forth in
                 Schedule 4.1(p), to the best of the Vendors' knowledge, there
                 are no underground storage tanks containing Hazardous
                 Substances situated on the Leased Properties or the Real
                 Properties, no Hazardous Substance from any underground
                 storage tank has been spilled, leaked, discharged or deposited
                 on or in the Leased Properties or Real Properties in an amount
                 which would constitute a reportable spill, leak, discharge or
                 deposit under any applicable Environmental Laws, and there
                 have been no violations or alleged violations of any
                 Environmental Laws related to underground storage tanks owned
                 or operated by the Vendors.

                 (vi)     Documents and Records.  The Vendors have maintained
                 all environmental records and reports substantially in the
                 manner and for the time period required by applicable
                 Environmental Laws.

         (q)     there are no outstanding work orders, non-compliance orders,
         deficiency notices or other such notices relative to the Real
         Properties, the Purchased Assets or the Business which have been
         issued by any regulatory authority, police or fire department,
         sanitation, labour or other governmental authorities or agencies.
         There are no matters under discussion with any such department or
         authority relating to work orders, non-compliance orders, deficiency
         notices or other such





                                       16
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         notices.  The Business in not being carried on, and none of the Real
         Properties or the other Purchased Assets are being operated, in a
         manner which is in material contravention of any Law.  No amounts are
         owing by the Vendors in respect of the Real Properties to any
         Governmental Entity or public utility, other than current accounts
         which are not in arrears.  There are no premises leased by the Vendors
         for the operation of the Business pursuant to the terms of any lease,
         whether oral or written;

(iii)  as to the Condition of the Business:

         (r)     except as disclosed in Schedule 4.1(r) attached hereto there
         are no claims, actions, suits, proceedings (including arbitration
         proceedings), or, to the best knowledge of the Vendors, investigations
         (whether or not purportedly on behalf or the Vendors) at law or in
         equity or before or by any federal, provincial, municipal or other
         governmental department, commission, bureau, agency or
         instrumentality, domestic or foreign, which involves the possibility
         of materially and adversely affecting the Purchased Assets or the
         Business; and to the best knowledge of the Vendors there are no
         existing grounds on which any claim, action, suit, proceeding or
         investigation might be commenced with any reasonable likelihood or
         success;

 (s)     during the period between March 31, 1997 to the date of this Agreement;

                 (i)      the Business was operated in the ordinary course
                 thereof, consistent with past practices;

                 (ii)     no obligation or liability (fixed or contingent) was
                 incurred except normal trade or business obligations incurred
                 in the ordinary course of the Business, none of which is
                 materially adverse to the Business.

(iv)  as to Employee matters;

         (t)     Schedule 4.1 (t) annexed hereto sets forth:

                 (i)      the names, current annual salaries, job positions,
                 length of employment and date and amounts of the most recent
                 increases in salaries of all Persons who are employed by the
                 Vendors on a full-time or part-time basis in connection with
                 the Business and including all independent commission agents;

                 (ii)     particulars of any contracts, commitments,
                 arrangements or understandings, written or oral, with any such
                 employees or agents;

                 (iii)    particulars of any agreements with any labour union
                 or employee associations; and

                 (iv)     particulars of all employee insurance, hospital or
                 medical expense program, pension, retirement, profit sharing,
                 stock options or other





                                       17
   18
                 employee benefit plans, programs or arrangements or any
                 executive or key personnel incentives or other special
                 compensation arrangements to which the Vendors are a party or
                 are bound in respect of the employees or agents contemplated
                 in (i) above.

         (u)     save as disclosed in Schedule 4.1(t), the Vendors do not have
         any agreements with any labour union or employee association nor have
         they made commitments to or conducted negotiations with any union or
         employee association with respect to any future agreements, and the
         Vendors are not aware of any current attempts to organize or establish
         any labour union or employee association for the employees of Vendors;

         (v)     the Vendors are not engaged in any material dispute with any
         of the employees identified in Schedule 4.1(t) annexed hereto and
         there is not now pending or threatened any labour dispute or work
         stoppage which affects or may affect the Business or may interfere
         with its continued operations and there are no outstanding breaches of
         any collective agreement or outstanding or potential grievances.

         (w)     the terms and conditions of employment of all such employees
         of the Business conform with the minimum employment and labour
         standards requirements laid down by the Province of Ontario, as
         applicable;

         (x)     all salaries, workers compensation assessments and surcharges,
         unemployment insurance assessments, pension remittances, remittances
         under the Business' profit sharing plan, employer health tax
         remittances, sick day credits, vacation pay including the monetary
         value of lieu days and associated payroll costs thereof, and similar
         charges or amounts with respect to all of the employees owing by the
         Vendors to those of its employees identified in Schedule 4.1(t)
         annexed hereto will have been paid up to the Closing Date or adjusted
         for at the Closing Date;

(v)  as to Insurance:

         (y)     all of the Purchased Assets are insured and will be up to the
         Time of Closing (subject to the amount of any deductibles under such
         policies) against loss or damage by all insurable risks and hazards
         customarily insured against by Persons owning and operating property
         and assets and/or carrying on a business similar to the Purchased
         Assets and the Business.  The Vendors are not in any technical or
         non-material breach or default with respect to any of the provisions
         contained in any such insurance policy which could result in the
         cancellation of any policy of insurance;

(vi)  Miscellaneous:

         (z)      INTENTIONALLY BLANK.





                                       18
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         (aa)    at the Time of Closing, all remittances with respect to retail
         sales tax will have been made up to and including the Closing Date;

         (bb)

                 (i)      The Vendors are the registered and beneficial owner
                 of the Real Properties, subject to zoning, occupancy and
                 similar laws and regulations pertaining to use thereof,
                 easements and restrictions of record and the Permitted
                 Encumbrances.

                 (ii)     All of the buildings and fixtures on the Real
                 Properties (i) were to the best knowledge of the Vendors
                 constructed in substantial accordance with all applicable laws
                 and with all authorizations validly issued pursuant thereto;
                 (ii) are in substantially the same condition as when viewed
                 and examined during the Purchaser's due diligence; and (iii)
                 to the best knowledge of the Vendors are adequate and suitable
                 for the purposes for which they are presently being used; and
                 the Vendors have adequate rights of ingress and egress for the
                 operation of the Business in the ordinary course.  None of the
                 Real Properties or the buildings and fixtures thereon, nor the
                 use, operation or maintenance thereof for the purpose of
                 carrying on the Business, violates any restrictive covenant or
                 any provision of any Law or encroaches on any property owned
                 by any other Person, which violation has or would have a
                 material adverse effect on the normal operation of the
                 Business.  No condemnation or expropriation proceeding is
                 pending or, to the best knowledge of the Vendors, threatened
                 which would preclude or materially impair the use of any such
                 property or any part thereof for the purposes for which it is
                 currently used.  Except as may occur in the ordinary course of
                 business, there are no outstanding work orders with respect to
                 any of the Assets from or required by any municipality, police
                 department, fire department, sanitation, health or safety
                 authorities or from any other Person.

         (cc)    except for those liabilities set forth on the Financial
         Statements or otherwise disclosed hereunder, and for those liabilities
         incurred in the ordinary course of business, the Business or Purchased
         Assets are not subject to any liabilities, absolute or contingent, and
         whether or not required in accordance with GAAP to be disclosed on a
         balance sheet.

         (dd)    the Vendors have been and are conducting the Business in
         substantial compliance with all applicable Laws, other than
         Environmental Laws.

         (ee)    no representation or warranty of the Vendors contained in the
         Agreement or contained in any statement, document, certificate or list
         made, delivered or furnished by or on behalf of the Vendors pursuant
         to this Agreement or in connection with the consummation of the
         transaction herein contemplated contains





                                       19
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         or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or
         will omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements herein
         and therein not misleading.

4.2      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER:  The Purchaser hereby
represents and warrants to the Vendors as follows and hereby acknowledges and
confirms that the Vendors are relying on such representations and warranties in
connection with the sale of the Purchased Assets:

         (a)     the Purchaser is a corporation duly incorporated, validly
         existing and in good standing under the laws of the Province of
         Ontario with full corporate capacity, power and authority to enter
         into this Agreement and carry out its obligations hereunder;

         (b)     the execution and delivery of the Agreement, and all other
         agreements, documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by
         the Purchaser pursuant hereto or in connection with the completion of
         the transaction contemplated herein have been duly authorized and
         approved by all necessary action of the board of directors of the
         Purchaser on or prior to the Closing Date and by any other necessary
         corporate action on the part of the Purchaser to comply with
         applicable law;

         (c)     the execution and delivery of the Agreement and all other
         agreements, documents and instruments to be executed and delivered by
         the Purchaser pursuant hereto or in connection with the completion of
         the transaction contemplated herein, and the performance of this
         Agreement or any other such agreement by the Purchaser will not:

                 (i)      violate any provision of the Purchaser's Articles of
                 Incorporation or by-laws, or

                 (ii)     result in the breach of violation of any provision of
                 or constitute a default under any indenture, agreement or
                 other instrument to which the Purchaser is a party or by which
                 the Purchaser or any of its properties may be bound, or

                 (iii)    to the best knowledge of the Purchaser violate any
                 law, rules or regulations to which the Purchaser is subject.

4.3      NON-WAIVER:  Subject to the provisions of Section 4.4, no
investigations made by or on behalf of either the Purchaser or the Vendors at
any time shall have the effect of waiving, diminishing the scope of or
otherwise affecting or mitigating any representation or warranty made herein or
pursuant hereto or the right of the party or parties to whom such
representation or warranty is made to rely on such representation and warranty.

4.4      KNOWLEDGE OF PARTIES:  In the event that the Vendors on the one hand,
or the Purchaser on the other hand (the "Knowing Party"), has actual knowledge
at the time of the Closing that a representation or warranty made by the other
Party is false or the other





                                       20
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Party has violated a covenant made by it under this Agreement, and the Knowing
Party proceeds to the Closing notwithstanding such knowledge, the Knowing Party
shall be deemed to have waived any rights it may have for indemnification or
damages against the other Party to the extent that any damages result from such
breach of representation or warranty or failure to perform such covenant.



                                   ARTICLE 5
                         OTHER COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES

5.1      EMPLOYEES:

         (a)   OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT.  Upon Closing, the Purchaser (i) shall offer
         employment to the employees of the Business set forth in Schedule
         5.1(a) located at the facilities in Fort Erie and Brantford by way of
         a letter, at a minimum, on substantially the same terms and conditions
         of employment as each such employee has with the Vendors on the
         Closing Date, and (ii) may, in its sole discretion, offer employment
         to certain sales employees located at the Burlington, Ontario office
         as may be identified and selected by the Purchaser.

         (b)   OTHER BENEFITS.  Until Closing, the Vendors shall be responsible
         for all wages, bonuses, earned vacations, sick leave, severance pay,
         and other remuneration benefits for all of the employees of the
         Business in respect of any period prior to the Closing Date.
         Thereafter, the Purchaser shall be responsible for all such benefits
         of the employees relating to after the Closing Date.

         (c)   SEVERANCE.  Save and except in respect of those employees who
         accept the Purchaser's offers of employment made pursuant to Section
         5.1(a), the Vendors shall be responsible for all notice of
         termination, severance and other obligations to the employees of the
         Business arising out of their termination of employment with the
         Vendors and the Vendors shall indemnify and save the Purchaser
         harmless in respect of all such obligations.

5.2      BULK SALES:  The Vendors and the Purchaser hereby waive compliance
with the provisions of applicable bulk sales legislation.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Vendors shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser from and
against any and all claims which may be made or brought against the Purchaser
or which the Purchaser may suffer or incur as a result of, or arising out of
such non-compliance unless such non-compliance is a result of the Purchaser's
non- satisfaction of assumed liabilities as described herein.

5.3      TAX ELECTIONS:  The Vendors shall execute, in form and content to be
reviewed and accepted by the Purchaser, the tax elections referred to in
Section 2.5.





                                       21
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5.4      PICKERING PERMIT:  The Vendors shall diligently pursue  cancellation
of the Certificate of Approval #A390414 of Republic Environmental Systems
(Pickering) Ltd. in respect of its facility located at 1070 Toy Avenue,
Pickering, Ontario, and shall in any case have arranged such surrender and
cancellation within five (5) years following the Closing Date.


                                   ARTICLE 6
                            INTERIM PERIOD COVENANTS

6.1      ACCESS FOR INVESTIGATION:  During the Interim Period, the Vendors
shall permit the Purchaser and its employees, agents, counsel and other
representatives to make such reasonable investigation of the Purchased Assets
and of the Business as the Purchaser deems reasonably necessary or advisable to
familiarize itself with such properties, assets and other matters relating to
the Business and the Purchased Assets and to confirm the matters represented
and warranted in Section 4.1 hereof.  For purposes of such investigation, the
Vendors shall cause the directors, officers and employees of the Vendors to
permit the Purchaser, the Purchaser's solicitors and other representatives of
the Purchaser to have reasonable access, during normal business hours, on
reasonable advance notice and without disruption to the operation of the
Business, to all locations where the Business is carried on or where any of the
Purchased Assets are located and to the books, contracts, commitments and
records of the Vendors pertaining to the Business.

6.2      CONFIDENTIALITY COVENANT:  Subject to disclosure in accordance with
the provisions of Section 8.1 hereof, the Purchaser will treat as confidential
all confidential documents and information concerning the Vendors, the
Purchased Assets and the Business as the Vendors shall have furnished to the
Purchaser or which is acquired by the Purchaser during its investigation
pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof, and, if the sale of the Purchased Assets
pursuant hereto shall not be consummated, such confidence shall be maintained
and the Purchaser will not use or disclose to any Person any such document or
information (except to the extent that such information can be shown to be
previously known to the Purchaser, in the public domain, or later acquired by
the Purchaser from other sources without any breach of confidentiality to the
Vendors).  In the event that this Agreement is terminated without consummation
of the transaction of purchase and sale herein contemplated the Purchaser shall
promptly return to the Vendors all documents, work papers and other written
material and any copies thereof supplied to the Purchaser or its
representatives by the Vendors in connection with the negotiation of this
Agreement or pursuant to the investigation, if any, conducted by the Purchaser
pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof.

6.3      COVENANTS OF VENDORS:  The Vendors hereby covenant and agree that,
during the Interim Period, the Vendors will:

         (a)   do all things and cause all things to be done to ensure that all
         of the warranties and representations of the Vendors contained in this
         Agreement remain





                                       22
   23
         true and correct throughout the Interim Period, as if such
         representations and warranties were continuously made throughout such
         period;

         (b)   carry on the Business only in the usual course thereof, 
         consistent with past practices, which, without limitation, shall
         include substantial compliance with all applicable laws, regulations
         and administrative orders of all governmental, administrative or
         regulatory bodies or agencies having jurisdiction including all
         Environmental Laws, and use its best efforts to preserve the goodwill
         of the Business;

         (c)   refrain from any acts having the effect of dissuading any of the
         employees, agents, customers, clients, representatives, agents or
         suppliers of the Business to become associated with, or having the
         effect of inducing them to terminate its association with, the
         Purchaser;

         (d)   continue to maintain in full force and effect all policies of
         insurance of the Vendors now in effect relating to the Purchased
         Assets or the Business and give all notices and to present all claims
         under all such policies of insurance in due and timely fashion;

         (e)   not sell, agree to sell or otherwise dispose of or pledge, 
         subject to lien, create security interest in or otherwise encumber any
         of the Purchased Assets except in the ordinary course of business;

         (f)   not increase the wages, salaries or any other forms of
         remuneration, direct or indirect, of any of the employees of the
         Business except in the ordinary course of business;

         (g)   use its best efforts to aid the Purchaser in engaging the 
         Vendors' employees as are identified on Schedule 4.1(t) annexed
         hereto, which the Purchaser wishes to re-hire;

         (h)   promptly advise the Purchaser in writing of any material adverse
         change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of the Business or of
         the Purchased Assets or of the occurrence or filing of any dispute or
         complaint.

                                   ARTICLE 7
              CLOSING ARRANGEMENTS AND CONDITIONS AND RISK OF LOSS

7.1      PLACE OF CLOSING:  The Closing of the transaction contemplated hereto
shall take place at the Time of Closing, on the Closing Date at the Purchaser's
office in Hamilton, Ontario, or at such other place as may be mutually agreed
upon by the parties hereto or their respective solicitors.

7.2      CONDITIONS OF CLOSING:  Completion of the purchase and sale of the
Purchased Assets contemplated hereto is subject to the following conditions
having been satisfied.





                                       23
   24
The conditions contained in Sections 7.2 (a) to (n), both inclusive, are for
the exclusive benefit of the Purchaser.  The conditions contained in Sections
7.2 (o) to (r), both inclusive, are for the exclusive benefit of the Vendors.
All conditions referred to herein are to be satisfied at the Time of Closing.
The following are the conditions:

         (a)   all of the representations and warranties of the Vendors 
         contained in the Agreement or contained in any certificate or other
         document delivered to the Purchaser pursuant hereto shall be true and
         correct on and as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect
         as if those representations and warranties had been made on and as of
         such date, regardless of the date as of which the information in this
         Agreement or in any such certificate or document is given, and there
         shall have been compliance with the covenants and obligations on the
         part of the Vendors contained herein which were to have been complied
         with by the Vendors at or prior to the Time of Closing and the Vendors
         shall have delivered to the Purchaser a certificate executed by the
         president or chief executive officer of the Vendors to that effect.
         The acceptance of such certificate and the completion of the
         transaction of purchase and sale herein contemplated shall not be a
         waiver of the covenants, representations and warranties contained
         herein or in any certificate or other document given pursuant to this
         Agreement (except to the extent that any such representations or
         warranties have been modified by the information disclosed in the
         certificate so delivered and accepted by the Purchaser), which
         covenants, representations and warranties shall continue in full force
         and effect as provided in Section 8.1 hereof;

         (b)   the Vendors shall deliver to the Purchaser all necessary deeds,
         conveyances, bills of sale, assurances, transfers, assignments,
         consents, releases, discharges and other documents, necessary or
         reasonably required in the opinion of the Purchaser, to transfer
         effectively to the Purchaser good and marketable title to the
         Purchased Assets free and clear of all mortgages, liens, charges,
         security interests, pledges, adverse claims, conditional sale or other
         title retention agreements, restrictions, demands, equities,
         encumbrances and rights of any Person of every nature, kind and
         description whatsoever including, without limiting the generality of
         the foregoing, of the tax clearance certificates referred to in
         Section 2.6 hereof with respect to the remittance of Ontario sales
         taxes;

         (c)   the Vendors shall have delivered to the Purchaser possession of 
         the Purchased Assets including documents relating to the Business
         contemplated in Section 2.1 hereof;

         (d)   the Purchaser shall have obtained or received all licenses,
         permits, consents, approvals and authorizations from all Governmental
         Entities under all applicable Laws, as may be necessary and
         appropriate to enable the Purchaser to carry on the Business in the
         same manner in which such Business in now being carried on by the
         Vendors or as may be required to permit the change of ownership of the
         Purchased Assets herein provided for to be completed, without





                                       24
   25
         affecting or resulting in the cancellation or termination of any
         Permit or of any license or permit held by the Purchaser;

         (e)   the Vendors and RESI shall execute a non-competition agreement
         whereby the Vendors and RESI agree to refrain from engaging in any
         similar business to the Business within Canada for a period of five
         (5) years from the Closing Date, which agreement shall be in
         substantially the form as set forth in Schedule 7.2(e);

         (f)   on the Closing Date, and except as otherwise contemplated
         hereunder, title to the Purchased Assets shall be free and clear of
         all mortgages, liens, charges, security interest, pledges, adverse
         claims, conditional sale or other title retention agreements,
         restrictions, description whatsoever and there shall have been no
         material change to the Purchased Assets;

         (g)   the Vendors shall provide to the Purchaser on the Closing Date 
         the written consent of each lessor or third party under the Equipment
         Leases, Supply Contracts and Contracts to the assignment of same to
         the Purchaser and each of the lessors' and third party's
         acknowledgments that the Vendors are not in breach of any terms of
         each of the Equipment Leases, Contracts and Supply Contracts;

         (h)   INTENTIONALLY BLANK

         (i)   INTENTIONALLY BLANK

         (j)   the Vendors shall have delivered to the Purchaser reasonable and
         satisfactory evidence that the Vendors are at the Closing Date
         residents of Canada within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada);

         (k)   the Vendors shall have performed or complied with all of its
         obligations, covenants and agreements hereunder;

         (l)   the Purchaser shall have satisfied itself

                 (i)   as to the accuracy of the Financial Statements; and

                 (ii)  that no material adverse change in the Business has
                 occurred or is likely to occur.

         (m)   the Purchaser shall have secured the approval of its board,
         authorizing and approving the transaction of purchase and sale herein
         contemplated, and shall have delivered to the Vendors a copy of such
         resolution of the board of directors evidencing the due authorization
         of the Purchaser to enter into this Agreement, to consummate the
         transaction of purchase and sale herein contemplated and to otherwise
         perform its obligations hereunder;





                                       25
   26
         (n)   the transaction contemplated in and by the share purchase 
         agreement between Republic Environmental Systems, Inc., as vendor, and
         Philip Environmental (Delaware), Inc., as purchaser, shall have been
         completed;

         (o)   all of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser
         contained in this Agreement or contained in any certificate or other
         document delivered to the Vendors pursuant hereto shall be true and
         correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect
         as if such representations and warranties have been made on and as of
         such date, regardless of the date as of which the information in this
         Agreement or in any such certificate or document is given, and there
         shall have been compliance with the covenants and obligations on the
         part of the Purchaser contained herein which were to have been
         complied with at or prior to Closing and the Purchaser shall have
         delivered to the Vendors a certificate executed by the president or
         chief executive officer of the Purchaser to that effect.  The
         acceptance of such certificate and the completion of the transaction
         of purchase and sale herein contemplated shall not be a waiver of the
         covenants, representations and warranties contained herein or in any
         certificate or document given pursuant to this Agreement (except to
         the extent that any such representations or warranties have been
         modified by the information disclosed in the certificate so delivered
         and accepted by the Vendors), which covenants, representations and
         warranties shall continue in full force and effect as provided in
         Section 8.1 hereof;

         (p)   the Purchaser shall have paid to the Vendors the amount payable 
         at Closing pursuant to Section 8.1;

         (q)   the Purchaser shall have performed on complied with all its
         obligations, covenants and agreements hereunder; and

         (r)   the transaction contemplated in and by the share purchase 
         agreement between Republic Environmental Systems, Inc., as vendor, and
         Philip Environmental (Delaware), Inc., as purchaser, shall have been
         completed.

7.3      RISK OF LOSS:  If, at or prior to the Closing, all or any part of the
Purchased Assets are lost, destroyed or damaged by fire or any other casualty,
event or circumstance or are expropriated or otherwise seized by governmental
or other lawful authority the Vendors shall immediately advise the Purchaser
thereof in writing and the Purchaser shall have the option, exercisable by
notice in writing to be given by the Purchaser to the Vendors within five (5)
business days of the Purchaser receiving the aforesaid notice from the Vendors
to either:

         (a)   reduce the Purchase Price by the fair market value of all or any
         part of the Purchased Assets so lost, destroyed or damaged, or

         (b)   in regard to circumstances in which a material part of the
         Purchased Assets is so lost destroyed or damaged, refuse to complete
         the transaction contemplated





                                       26
   27
         herein by notice to the Vendors and in such event all parties hereto
         shall be released from all obligations hereunder.

                                   ARTICLE 8
                SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNIFICATION

8.1      NATURE AND SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES:  The 
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto
contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing for a period of one (1)
year, save and except those representations and warranties made pursuant to
Section 4.1(p)(iii), which shall survive for a period of five (5) years.

8.2      INDEMNIFICATION BY VENDORS AND RESI:  The Vendors and RESI covenant and
agree to indemnify and save harmless the Purchaser and its shareholders and
their officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives from and
against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including
reasonable legal fees and disbursements on a solicitor and his own client
basis) suffered or incurred by the Purchaser or any such other Person as a
result of, in consequence of or arising out of, under or by reason of:

         (a)   any representations or warranty of the Vendors contained in this
         Agreement or contained in any document or certificate delivered by the
         Vendors pursuant hereto or in connection with the completion of the
         transaction herein contemplated being untrue, inaccurate or misleading
         in any material respect;

         (b)   a breach by the Vendors in any respect of any of its covenants or
         obligations contained herein or contained in any document or
         instrument delivered by the Vendors pursuant hereto or in connection
         with completion of the transaction contemplated herein; or

         (c)   any claim made against the Purchaser in relation to the Retained
         Liabilities.

The Vendors and RESI have no obligation to indemnify an indemnified party under
Section 8.2 until the Purchaser has suffered (i) losses, claims or damages
related to or arising from a breach of the Vendors' representations and
warranties made pursuant to Section 4.1(p) for which the Vendors are
responsible hereunder in excess of an aggregate of Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($250,000) (the "Environmental Indemnification Threshold"), or
(ii) losses, claims or damages for which the Vendors are responsible hereunder,
other than those relating to matters set forth in (i) above in excess of an
aggregate of One Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($125,000) (the
"General Indemnification Threshold") and then only to the extent that such
losses, claims and damages exceed the respective indemnification threshold.
The Vendors shall not be liable for any losses, claims or damages once the
aggregate amount of all such losses, claims or damages paid, or due to be paid,
by the Vendors shall have reached $7,000,000.





                                       27
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The Vendors shall be entitled to reduce the principal amount due under the Note
in satisfaction of any claims in respect of which it is obligated to indemnify
the Purchaser pursuant hereto.

8.3      INDEMNIFICATION BY PURCHASER:  The Purchaser covenants and agrees to
indemnify and save harmless the Vendors and their shareholders and their
directors, offices, employees, agents and representatives (in respect of which
the Vendors hereby act as agent and trustee with respect thereto) from and
against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including
reasonable legal fees and disbursements on a solicitor and his own client
basis) suffered or incurred by the Vendors as a result of, in consequence of or
arising our of, under or by reason of:

         (a)   any representation or warranty of the Purchaser contained in this
         Agreement or contained in any document or certificate delivered by the
         Purchaser pursuant hereto or in connection with the completion of the
         transaction herein contemplated being untrue, inaccurate or misleading
         in any material respect;

         (b)   any other breach by the Purchaser in any respect of any of its
         covenants or obligations contained herein or contained in any document
         or instrument delivered by the Purchaser pursuant hereto or in
         connection with the completion of the transactions contemplated
         herein;

         (c)   any liability pertaining to the Business, which occurs or arises
         after the Time of Closing in respect of an event or occurrence in a
         period after the Closing Date, except for the Retained Liabilities,
         and except for any liability resulting from a breach of the Vendors'
         representations and warranties made hereunder or from their failure to
         fulfill their covenants; or

         (d)   any liability pertaining to the Business arising directly or
         indirectly from breaches of Environmental Laws by the Vendors,
         Environmental Activity by the Vendors or the Release of Hazardous
         Substances to the Natural Environment by the Vendors, except to the
         extent such liability (i) results from a breach of any of the
         representations or warranties given by the Vendors hereunder within
         the respective survival period, (ii) results from a failure of the
         Vendors to fulfill any of their covenants hereunder, or (iii) relates
         to the Excluded Assets set forth in Schedule 2.2.

8.4      COLLECTION OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE:  If any Accounts Receivable, net 
of any allowance for doubtful accounts, in excess of an aggregate amount of
Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) shall not have been collected within one
hundred and eighty days (180) from the Closing Date (the "Uncollected
Receivables"), the Uncollected Receivables shall thereupon be assigned to the
Vendors for collection.  The Vendors shall forthwith make dollar-for-dollar
payment to the Purchaser in respect of all Uncollected Receivables so assigned
and the Purchaser shall thereupon assign to the Vendors all of the Purchaser's
rights and entitlement under the Uncollected Receivables.  All costs associated
with such collection shall be borne by the Vendors.





                                       28
   29
8.5      INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE:

         (a)   Any party seeking indemnification under this Article (the
         "indemnified party") shall forthwith notify the party against whom a
         claim for indemnification is sought hereunder (the "indemnifying
         party") in writing, which notice shall specify, in reasonable detail,
         the nature and estimated amount of the claim.  If a claim by a third
         party is made against an indemnified party, and if the indemnified
         party intends to seek indemnity with respect thereto under this
         Article, the indemnified party shall promptly (and in any case within
         20 days of such claim being made) notify the indemnifying party of
         such claim with reasonable particulars.  The indemnifying party shall
         have 20 days after receipt of such notice to undertake, conduct and
         control, through counsel of its own choosing and at its expense, the
         settlement or defense thereof, and the indemnified party shall
         cooperate with the indemnifying party in connection therewith; except
         that with respect to settlements entered into by the indemnifying
         party (i) the consent of the indemnified party shall be required if
         the settlement provides for equitable relief against the indemnified
         party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed;
         and (ii) the indemnifying party shall obtain the approval of the
         indemnified party.  If the indemnifying party undertakes, conducts and
         controls the settlement or defense of such claim (i) the indemnifying
         party shall permit the indemnified party to participate in such
         settlement or defense through counsel chosen by the indemnified party,
         provided that the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be borne by
         the indemnified party; and (ii) the indemnifying party shall promptly
         reimburse the indemnified party for the full amount of any Loss
         resulting from any claim and all related expenses (other than the fees
         and expenses of counsel as aforesaid) incurred by the indemnified
         party in respect of any valid claim for indemnification under this
         Agreement.  The indemnified part shall not pay or settle any claims so
         long as the indemnifying party is reasonably contesting any such claim
         in good faith on a timely basis.  Notwithstanding the two immediately
         preceding sentences, the indemnified party shall have the right to pay
         or settle any such claim provided that in such event it shall waive
         any right to indemnity therefor by the indemnifying party.

         (b)   With respect to third party claims, if the indemnifying party 
         does not notify the indemnified party within 20 days after the receipt
         of the indemnified party's notice of a claim of indemnity hereunder
         that it elects to undertake the defense thereof, the indemnified party
         shall have the right, but not the obligation, to contest, settle or
         compromise the claim in the exercise of its reasonable judgment at the
         expense of the indemnifying party.

         (c)   In the event of any claim by a third party against an indemnified
         party, the defense of which is being undertaken and controlled by the
         indemnifying party, the indemnified part will use all reasonable
         efforts to make available to the indemnifying party those employees
         whose assistance, testimony or presence is necessary to assist the
         indemnifying party in evaluating and in defending any such claims.





                                       29
   30
         (d)   With respect to third party claims, the indemnified party shall
         make available to the indemnifying party or its representatives on a
         timely basis all documents, invoices and financial ledgers, records
         and other materials in the possession of the indemnified party, at the
         expense of the indemnifying party, reasonably required by the
         indemnifying party for its use in defending any claim and shall
         otherwise cooperate on a timely basis with the indemnifying part in
         the defense of such claim.

         (e)   With respect to the Environmental Indemnification Threshold and
         the Indemnification Threshold, the Purchaser shall provide to the
         Vendors an accounting at three (3) month intervals, commencing with
         the first three (3) month period after the Closing Date, summarizing
         the costs which the Purchaser claims are being assessed to the
         respective threshold amounts.  Upon request of the Vendors, the
         Purchaser shall submit to the Vendors all documentation supporting
         such costs, including consultant and contractor invoices.

         (f)   With respect to any liability for income, corporate, sales, 
         excise, or other tax or other liability which has resulted in an
         encumbrance against the property of the indemnified party, the
         indemnifying party's right to so contest shall only apply after such
         payment of such re-assessment or the provision of such security as is
         necessary to remove such encumbrance on the property of the
         indemnified party.

8.6      REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS:  The Purchaser agrees that any remediation
performed by the Purchaser or the Vendors shall be consistent with the
industrial use of the Real Property and shall make maximum benefit, to the
extent commercially reasonable to do so, of institutional controls, engineering
controls and natural remediation pursuant to Environmental Laws in order to
minimize investigation and remediation costs to the extent feasible.

8.7      VENDORS' RIGHT TO ASSERT CLAIMS: Nothing in this Agreement shall 
prevent the Vendors from asserting any claim which they may have against any
person, corporation, partnership or other entity (other than the Purchaser or
any of its affiliated companies) related to matters which are the subject of
the Vendors' indemnification obligations pursuant to Section 8.2; provided,
however, that in no case shall the Vendors' obligation to indemnify the
Purchaser hereunder be conditional upon the assertion or ultimate success or
any such claim.  The Purchaser agrees to assign to the Vendors any claim in
respect of such indemnified matters which the Purchaser may have against any
Person, other than claims against any Persons the assertion of which, in the
reasonable judgment of the Purchaser, would interfere with the on-going
business relations of the Purchaser with such Persons.  The Purchaser agrees
that any amounts recovered by the Vendors regarding any claims asserted by them
in accordance with the terms hereof shall be retained solely by the Vendors.

8.8      LETTERS OF CREDIT AND BONDS: The Purchaser shall, as soon as is 
reasonably practicable, and in any case within 90 days after the Closing date,
replace the outstanding letters of credit, bonds, financial assurances,
guarantees and security interests ("Financial





                                       30
   31
Assurances") set forth in Schedule 8.8 which the Vendors have in place in
relation to the Business and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Vendors from
any liabilities arising therefrom.  Any proceeds from the surrender,
satisfaction or replacement of any of the above shall remain the asset of the
Vendors or RESI, as the case may be.

                                   ARTICLE 9
                          GENERAL CONTRACT PROVISIONS

9.1      NOTICE:

(1)      Any notice, designation, communication, request, demand or other
document, required or permitted to be given or sent or delivered hereunder to
any party hereto shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given or sent or
delivered if it is:

         (a)     delivered personally to an officer or director of such party;

         (b)     sent to the party entitled to receive it by registered mail,
         postage prepaid, mailed in Canada or the United States, or

         (c)     sent by telecopy machine.

(2)      Notices shall be sent to the following addresses or telecopy numbers:

                 (a)      in the case of the Vendors:


                          c/o Republic Environmental Systems, Inc.
                          101 West Avenue
                          3rd Floor
                          Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046


                          Fax No.:         (215) 517-4844


                 (b)      in the case of the Purchaser:

                          Philip Enterprises Inc.
                          100 King Street West
                          P. O. Box 2440 LCD 1
                          Hamilton, Ontario   L8N 4J6

                          Attention:       General Counsel
                          Fax No.:         (905) 521-9160





                                       31
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                 (c)      in the case of RESI:

                          Republic Environmental Systems, Inc.
                          101 West Avenue
                          3rd Floor
                          Jenkintown, Pennsylvania  19046

                          Fax No.:         (215) 517-4844


         or to such other address or telecopier number as the party entitled to
         or receiving such notice, designation, communication, request, demand
         or other document shall, by a notice given in accordance with this
         section, have communicated to the party giving or sending or
         delivering such notice, designation, communication, request, demand or
         other document.

         Any notice, designation, communication, request, demand or other
         document given or sent or delivered as aforesaid shall

         (c)     if delivered as aforesaid, be deemed to have been given, sent,
         delivered and received on the date of delivery;

         (d)     if sent by mail as aforesaid, be deemed to have been given,
         sent, delivered and received (but not actually received) on the tenth
         Business Day following the date of mailing, unless at any time between
         the date of mailing and the fourth Business day thereafter there is a
         discontinuance or interruption of regular postal service, whether due
         to strike or lockout or work slowdown affecting postal service at the
         point of dispatch or delivery or any intermediate point, in which case
         the same shall be deemed to have been given, sent, delivered and
         received in the ordinary course of the mails, allowing for such
         discontinuance of interruption of regular postal service, and,

         (e)     if sent by telecopy machine, be deemed to have been given,
         sent, delivered and received on the date the sender receives the
         telecopy answer back confirming receipt by the recipient.

9.2      TIME OF ESSENCE:  Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and
of every part hereof and no extension or variation of this Agreement shall
operate as a waiver of this provision.

9.3      FURTHER ASSURANCES:  The parties hereto shall, with reasonable
diligence do all such things and provide all such reasonable assurances as may
be required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and each party
shall provide such further documents or instruments required by any other party
as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to effect the purpose of this
Agreement and to carry out its provisions, whether before or after the
consummation of the transaction contemplated herein.





                                       32
   33
9.4      EXPENSES:  Each of the parties hereto shall bear its own respective
expenses (including, but not limited to, all compensation and expenses of
counsel, financial advisors, consultants, actuaries, auditors, brokerage
finder's fees or other fees or commissions) incurred in connection with the
negotiations, preparation and execution of this Agreement, the consummation of
the transaction contemplated hereto and any post-closing matters.  The Vendors
shall indemnify and save harmless the Purchaser from any such fees or
commissions payable by the Business.

9.5      GOVERNING LAW:  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario, which shall be deemed to
be the proper law hereof.  The Courts of the Province of Ontario shall have
jurisdiction to entertain and determine all dispute and claims, both at law and
in equity, arising our of or in any way connected with the construction, breach
or alleged, threatened or anticipated breach of this Agreement, and shall have
jurisdiction to hear and determine all questions as to the validity, existence
or enforceability thereof.

9.6      ENTIRE AGREEMENT:  This Agreement shall constitute the entire
agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings,
negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written, of the parties hereto,
and there are no representations, warranties or agreements between the parties
hereto except as set forth in contemplated herein or in any document or
instrument delivered pursuant hereto.  This Agreement shall not be amended
except by a memorandum in writing signed by all of the parties hereto and any
amendment hereof shall be null and void and shall not be binding upon any party
which has not given its consent as aforesaid.

9.7      ASSIGNMENT:  Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations
hereunder shall be assignable by any party hereto without the prior written
consent of the other parties hereto, except that the Purchaser shall, without
any prior consent required, be entitled to assign this Agreement to a related
or affiliated company to be incorporated in the Province of Ontario, provided,
however, that in no case shall such assignment relieve the Purchaser from its
obligations hereunder.  This Agreement shall enure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, legal representative, successors and permitted assigns.

9.8      PUBLICITY:  Neither the Vendors nor the Purchaser shall issue any
press release or make any other public statement or announcement relating to or
connected with or arising out of this Agreement or the matters contained
herein, without consulting in advance with the other party on the form, timing,
contents, manner of presentation and publication thereof.  If disclosure is
required by law or by any stock exchange, the disclosing party shall consult in
advance with the other party hereto and attempt in good faith to reflect such
other party's concerns in the required disclosure.

9.9      COUNTERPARTS:  This Agreement may be executed by the parties in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be
deemed to be an





                                       33
   34
original and such counterparts together shall constitute one and the same
instrument, which shall be sufficiently evidenced by any such counterpart.

9.10     STORAGE AND ACCESS TO RECORDS:  The Purchaser agrees to provide the
Vendors (as well as the Vendors' accountants, auditors or other
representatives) reasonable use of the Purchaser's (and Vendors' former)
employees to gain access to the books and records forming part of the Purchased
Assets and otherwise provide reasonable access to such books and records during
normal business hours at the premises of the Business, to the extent necessary
to complete any financial statements required for this Agreement or otherwise
required by the Vendors, to collect any accounts receivable re-assigned by the
Purchaser to the Vendors, to prosecute or defend claims or lawsuits, to prepare
tax returns and to comply with audits by taxing authorities.  The Purchaser
will not dispose of any such books and records that were compiled by the
Vendors without prior written notice to the Vendors and providing the Vendors
with a reasonable opportunity to re-possess such books and records.

9.11     INTERIM PERIOD.  The Vendors and RESI hereby agree that during the
Interim Period, they shall not enter into any discussions or negotiations with
any third party in respect of the sale of the Business or the Purchased Assets,
or substantially all of the assets or shares of the Vendors.

                            [SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]





                                       34
   35

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have hereunto set their
respective hands and seals as of the date first written above.

REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL                 REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL 
 SYSTEMS (FORT ERIE) LTD.               SYSTEMS (BRANTFORD) LTD.


PER:                                   PER:
    ----------------------------           ----------------------------


REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL                 PHILIP ENTERPRISES INC.  
 SYSTEMS (PICKERING) LTD.


PER:                                   PER:
    ----------------------------           ----------------------------

REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL
 SYSTEMS, INC.


PER:
    ----------------------------




                                       35
   36
                                                               SCHEDULE 3.3(b)


                               GUARANTY AGREEMENT


         This Guaranty Agreement ("Guaranty") is made on July 23, 1997, by
PHILIP SERVICES CORP., an Ontario corporation (the "Guarantor") (which term
shall be deemed to include its distributees, successors and assigns).

                                    RECITALS

         A.      PHILIP ENTERPRISES, INC. ("Purchaser"), REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL
SYSTEMS, INC. and REPUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS (BRANTFORD) LTD. ("Vendor")
are parties to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated June 13, 1997 (the
"Agreement").

         B.      Pursuant to the Agreement, Purchaser has substantial
obligations to Vendor and is delivering to Vendor a promissory note (the
"Note").

         C.      Execution and delivery of this Guaranty is required pursuant
to Section 3.3 of the Agreement.

         D.      Guarantor is executing and delivering this Guaranty in
consideration of and as inducement for Vendor closing the transactions under
the Agreement.

         E.      Guarantor is the parent company of Purchaser and will derive a
substantial and direct benefit from the consummation of the transactions under
the Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above recitals and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby
acknowledged, Guarantor agrees as follows:

         1.      GUARANTY.   Guarantor, intending to be legally bound,
hereby guarantees, absolutely and unconditionally, to Vendor the full and
prompt payment of and any and all amounts (including, without limitation,
Vendor's legal expenses and reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements)
payable by Purchaser under the Agreement and the Note, and hereby further
guarantees the full and timely performance and observance of all of the
covenants, terms, indemnities, conditions and agreements therein provided to be
performed and observed by Purchaser; and Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees
to and with Vendor that if default shall at any time be made by Purchaser in
the payment of any amounts due under the Agreement or the Note, or if Purchaser
should default in the performance and observance of any of the terms,
covenants, agreements, indemnities and conditions contained in the Agreement or
the Note, Guarantor shall and will forthwith pay amounts and will faithfully
perform, observe and fulfill all of such terms, covenants, indemnities,
agreements and conditions and will forthwith pay to Vendor all damages that





   37
may arise in consequence of any default by Purchaser under the Agreement or the
Note, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys' fees, and
disbursements incurred by Vendor or caused by any such default or the
enforcement of this Guaranty.

         2.      EFFECTIVENESS.   This Guaranty is an absolute and
unconditional guaranty of payment (and not of collection) and of performance.
The liability of Guarantor is co-extensive with that of Purchaser.  Guarantor
hereby expressly agrees that the validity of this Guaranty and the obligations
of Guarantor hereunder shall in no way be terminated, affected, diminished or
impaired by reason of:  (a) the assertion or the failure to assert by Vendor
against Purchaser of any of the rights or remedies reserved to Vendor pursuant
to the terms, covenants and conditions of the Agreement or the Note, or (b) by
non-liability of Purchaser under the Agreement or the Note by reason of
Purchaser's insolvency or discharge in bankruptcy.

         3.      CONTINUING GUARANTY.   This Guaranty is a continuing
guaranty, and the liability of Guarantor hereunder shall in no way be affected,
modified or diminished by reason of:  (a) any assignment of the Agreement or
the Note, or (b) any extension of time that may be granted by Vendor to
Purchaser, or (c) any consent, indulgence or other action, inaction or omission
under or in respect of the Agreement or the Note, or (d) any bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, arrangement, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, receivership, trusteeship or similar proceeding affecting
Purchaser, whether or not notice thereof is given to Guarantor.

         4.      BANKRUPTCY, ETC.    Should Vendor be obligated by any
bankruptcy or other law to repay to Purchaser or to Guarantor or to any
trustee, receiver or other representative of either of them, any amounts
previously paid, this Guaranty shall be reinstated in the amount of any such
repayment.  Vendor shall not be required to litigate or otherwise dispute its
obligations to make such repayments if Vendor, in good faith, believes that
such obligation exists.

         5.      NO WAIVER.   No delay on the part of Vendor in exercising
any right, power or privilege under this Guaranty or failure to exercise the
same shall operate as a waiver of or otherwise affect any such right, power or
privilege, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other
or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or
privilege.  No waiver or modification of any provision of this Guaranty nor any
release or termination of this Guaranty shall be effective unless in writing,
signed by Vendor; nor shall any such waiver be applicable except in the
specific instance for which given.

         6.      EXERCISE OF RIGHTS.   All of Vendor's rights and remedies
under the Agreement, the Note and under this Guaranty, now or hereafter
existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise, are intended to be
distinct, separate and cumulative, and





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   38
no exercise or partial exercise of any such right or remedy therein or herein
mentioned is intended to be in exclusion of or a waiver of any of the others.

         7.      PAYMENTS.    Guarantor agrees that whenever at any time or
from time to time Guarantor shall make any payment to Vendor or perform or
fulfill any term, covenant or condition hereunder or under the Agreement or the
Note on account of the liability of Guarantor hereunder, Guarantor will notify
Vendor in writing that such payment or performance, as the case may be, is for
such purpose.  No such payment or performance by Guarantor pursuant to any
provision hereof shall entitle Guarantor, by subrogation or otherwise, to the
rights of Vendor to any payment by Purchaser or out of the property of
Purchaser, except after payment of all sums or fulfillment of all covenants,
terms, conditions or agreements to be paid or performed by Purchaser.

         8.      ESTOPPEL.   Guarantor agrees that Guarantor will  at any
time and from time to time, within ten business days following written request
by Vendor, execute, acknowledge and deliver to Vendor a statement certifying
that this Guaranty is unmodified and in full force and effect (or if there has
been any modification, that the same is in full force and effect as modified
and stating such modification).  Guarantor agrees that such certificate may be
relied on by anyone holding or proposing to acquire any interest in Vendor.

         9.      WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.   AS A FURTHER INDUCEMENT TO VENDOR TO
CLOSE UNDER THE AGREEMENT AND IN CONSIDERATION THEREOF, GUARANTOR COVENANTS AND
AGREES THAT IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT ON, UNDER OR BY VIRTUE OF THIS
GUARANTY, GUARANTOR SHALL AND DOES HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY.

         10.     GOVERNING LAW.   Without regard to principles of conflicts of
laws, the validity, interpretation, performance and enforcement of this
Guaranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

         11.     LEGAL CAPACITY.  Guarantor warrants and represents to Vendor
that Guarantor has the legal right and capacity to execute this Guaranty.  In
the event that this Guaranty shall be held ineffective or unenforceable by any
court of competent jurisdiction, then Guarantor shall be deemed to be Purchaser
under the Agreement and the Note with the same force and effect as if Guarantor
were expressly named as Purchaser therein.

         12.     NUMBER; GENDER.  All terms and words in this Guaranty,
regardless of the number or gender in which they are used, shall be deemed to
include any other number or any other gender as the context may require.





                                      -3-
   39
         13.     DEFAULT.         If Guarantor fails to pay any amount payable
under this Guaranty when due, interest on such amount shall accrue from the
date such amount was due until paid at the prime rate per annum (or substitute
similar rate) quoted by Citibank, N.A., plus 4% on the basis of a 360-day year
for the actual number of days elapsed.

         14.     JURISDICTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS.          Guarantor
irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any Pennsylvania State or Federal
court sitting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Guaranty.  Guarantor hereby
agrees that Vendor shall have the option in its sole discretion to lay the
venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in the courts of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania or the United States of America for the District of
Pennsylvania.  Guarantor irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by
law any objection which Guarantor may now or hereafter have to the laying of
the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court and any
claim that any suit, action or proceeding brought in such court has been
brought in an inconvenient forum.  Guarantor agrees that a final judgment in
any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive
and binding upon Guarantor.  Guarantor hereby irrevocably appoints Purchaser as
authorized agent to accept, on behalf of Guarantor, service of any and all
process which may be served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature
referred to above.  Process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding of
the nature referred to above by any method permitted by law or by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to Purchaser.
Guarantor agrees that such service shall be deemed in every respect effective
service of process upon Guarantor in any such suit, action or proceeding and
shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law be taken and held to be a valid
personal service upon and personal delivery to Guarantor.


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Guaranty as
of the date first above written.


ATTEST:                                    PHILIP SERVICES CORP.

By                                         By                              
  -----------------------                    ------------------------
  Name:                                      Name:
  Title:                                     Title:





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