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                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

                             (USA WASTE LETTERHEAD)

                          USA WASTE AND WESTERN WASTE
                       JOINTLY ANNOUNCE MERGER AGREEMENT

     Dallas, Texas (December 19, 1995) -- USA Waste Services, Inc. (NYSE -- 
"UW") and Western Waste Industries (NYSE -- "WW") today jointly announced that 
both Boards of Directors have approved the terms of a merger between the two 
solid waste organizations. The companies have entered into a definitive 
agreement of merger whereby the stockholders of Western Waste will receive 1.5 
shares of USA Waste common stock for each Western Waste common share. Each 
company has received opinions from independent financial advisors to the effect 
that the share exchange ratio is fair from a financial point of view. The 
closing of the merger is subject to approval by both companies' stockholders 
and lenders, Hart-Scott-Rodino anti-trust clearance, opinions that the merger 
will qualify as a tax-free pooling of interest transaction, and other standard 
and customary closing requirements.

     USA Waste has received an irrevocable proxy from Kosti Shirvanian, Western 
Waste's Chairman, CEO and largest stockholder, to vote his shares in favor of 
the merger. These shares represent approximately 31% of Western Waste's shares 
outstanding. USA Waste currently owns approximately 4.5% of the Western Waste 
outstanding shares, with such shares scheduled to be canceled at the effective 
time of the merger.
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USA Waste and Western Waste
Merger Announcement
December 19, 1995
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       USA Waste's stock price closed Monday at $18 7/8 per share. Based upon
Western Waste's approximately 16 million shares and equivalents outstanding and
existing indebtedness, the merger would be valued at about $525 million. The
companies anticipate that the merger should close in the spring of 1996. John E.
Drury, Chairman and CEO of USA Waste, will retain that position, and Kosti
Shirvanian will become a Vice Chairman of the Board of USA Waste at the time of
the merger.

       The combined companies have annualized revenues of over $800 million and
total assets in excess of $1.0 billion. After the merger, USA Waste will be the
third largest solid waste company in North America, and it will have 61
collection operations, 35 landfills, 24 transfer stations and 5 recycling
operations, serving over one million customers in 23 states.

       Mr. Drury stated, "We are extremely pleased and enthusiastic about the
combination of these two fine companies and believe this will provide
significant benefits to both stockholder groups. We expect the merger to be
additive to USA Waste's earnings per share because of cost savings and
operational improvements expected to be realized by the combination. Savings
should come from combining operations and reducing administrative and staffing
costs. There is also potential to grow and expand in and around Western Waste's
existing markets in California, Texas, Florida and in other states."

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USA Waste and Western Waste
Merger Announcement
December 19, 1995
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     "We are excited about the opportunities this merger presents for our 
customers and our shareholders," Mr. Shirvanian said. "This company was started 
40 years ago, and the Western Waste spirit will continue to live and prosper 
with this combination."

     USA Waste, based in Dallas, Texas, is an integrated, non-hazardous, solid 
waste management company serving municipal, commercial, industrial and 
residential customers in 21 states.

     Western Waste Industries is an integrated solid waste service company, 
providing collection, recycling, composting and disposal for commercial, 
industrial and residential customers. The company has operations in California, 
Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana and Colorado.


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