EXHIBIT 8
 
                       



                               November 3, 1997



Mr. Donald W. Brinckman
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Safety-Kleen Corp.
900 North Randall Road
Elgin, Illinois
USA 60123

Dear Mr. Brinckman:

     I am writing to you in my capacity as Chairman of Laidlaw Environmental
Services, Inc. Since your August 8th announcement that you would explore
strategic alternative to enhance shareholder value, we have sought
unsuccessfully, directly through phone calls to you and indirectly through your
advisors, to meet with you to pursue the combination of our companies. Six weeks
ago, at the request of your financial advisor, we submitted a preliminary merger
proposal to which you have yet to respond. Needless to say, we are frustrated by
your continuing unwillingness to engage in constructive dialogue.

     As you are aware, your advisors have insisted that we sign an agreement
that would permit us to propose strategic alternatives that maximize value for
your shareholders only if you "shall have requested in writing in advance the
submission of such proposal". We have made clear on numerous occasions our
willingness to sign a confidentiality agreement that protects nonpublic
information you choose to share with us. In light of our experience to date,
however, we will not sign any agreement that does not ensure that your
shareholders have the opportunity to consider our offer and to maximize the
value of their stock.

     In response to your continuing unwillingness to meet or commence
discussions with us in a meaningful way, our Board of Directors today authorized
and directed senior management of Laidlaw Environmental Services, Inc. to pursue
the acquisition of Safety-Kleen Corp. We have executed commitment letters with
the Toronto-Dominion Bank to provide all the necessary financing for this
acquisition. We have engaged Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. and Raymond James and
Associates Inc. to serve as our financial advisors and Katten Muchin and Zavis
to serve as our legal counsel.

     Our offer for each share of Safety-Kleen Corp. is a combination of $14.00
in cash and 2.4 common shares of Laidlaw Environmental Services, Inc. stock.
This represents approximately an 18.2% premium to Safety-Kleen's closing price
on Friday and a 46% premium to Safety-Kleen's trading price prior to your August
8th announcement. Please note that our offer is not subject to due diligence or
a financing contingency. We have fully committed financing sufficient to
complete the combination. We believe our offer represents

 
a full and fair price based on the publicly available information we have
reviewed. However, should you be willing to meet with us, we are prepared to
consider any additional information you may wish to provide that demonstrates
that a higher valuation is warranted. We continue to prefer a negotiated
transaction.

     Together our companies can create greater shareholder value than can either
of us alone. We estimate annual cost savings and synergy's will exceed $90
million. We believe the stock market will embrace this transaction and will
reward the combined company with enhanced stock performance. Our offer ensures
your shareholders participate in this exciting future.

     We believe it is in the best interests of our companies to proceed
immediately to negotiate a definitive agreement, containing customary public
company terms and conditions, and to consummate a transaction by year-end. Given
the importance we place on this combination, we are prepared to commit the
resources necessary to see its timely completion. We and our advisors would be
pleased to meet you and your advisors in Chicago either later today or tomorrow
to complete the necessary papers.

     In recognition of the strategic nature and compelling financial benefits of
our proposed combination to your shareholders and our willingness to consider
modifications to our offer as warranted, we expect you not to enter into any
binding merger or similar agreement with any other party without first exploring
with us the full merits of combining our two companies.

     Our Board of Directors unanimously supports this merger. We trust you and
the other members of Safety-Kleen's Board of Directors will consider the best
interests of Safety-Kleen's shareholders and will agree to meet with us promptly
to achieve a mutually-beneficial transaction.

     We look forward to hearing from you later today.

                                                Sincerely,


                                                /s/James R. Bullock
                                                James R. Bullock, Chairman

cc:  Safety-Kleen, Board of Directors
     Laidlaw Environmental Services, Inc., Board of Directors
     Douglas T. Lake, Bear Stearns & Co. Inc.
     David E. Thomas, Jr., Raymond James & Associates Inc.
     Herbert S. Wander, Katten Muchin & Zavis
     William Blair & Company, LLC