Cleaning up big time by removing hazardous waste

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he Braintree company became more prominent last year, when it helped clean up the World Trade Center site after Sept. 11 and several anthrax sites. It posted record revenues, ending with a 30 percent increase in the fourth quarter.

The company cleans up a wide range of hazardous materials, from routine hospital medical waste to oil and chemical spills on roads and in the water.

This year, even bigger things could be in store for Clean Harbors. If its purchase of the Chemical Services Division of Safety-Kleen Corp. goes through, it will grow from the third-largest to the largest operator of hazardous waste disposal facilities in North America, tripling its revenue in the process.

The acquisition, expected to close in the third quarter, would give Clean Harbors an additional 50 primary facilities, including 21 service centers, five wastewater treatment plants, nine landfills, and four incinerators. The Bankruptcy Court that oversees Safety-Kleen's Chapter 11 filing must first approve the deal, and Clean Harbors must find financing.

CEO Alan S. McKim said the company's expertise, strong balance sheets, and healthy cash flow will allow it to manage the costs of its newly purchased assets. Clean Harbors, which serves many Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, reported sales of $251.6 million, up 8 percent, in 2001.

LIZ KOWALCZYK