DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

        US Ecology, Inc. was most recently incorporated as a Delaware corporation in May 1987 as American Ecology Corporation. On February 22, 2010 the Company changed its name from American Ecology Corporation to US Ecology, Inc. US Ecology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides radioactive, Polychlorinated biphenyl ("PCB"), hazardous and industrial waste management services to commercial and government entities such as refineries and chemical production facilities, electric utilities, manufacturers, steel mills and medical and academic institutions. We are headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Throughout these financial statements words such as "we," "us," "our," "US Ecology" and the "Company" refer to US Ecology, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

        Our principal operating subsidiaries are US Ecology Nevada, Inc., a Delaware corporation; US Ecology Texas, Inc., a Delaware corporation; US Ecology Washington, Inc., a Delaware corporation; US Ecology Idaho, Inc., a Delaware corporation and Stablex Canada Inc., a Canadian corporation.

        We operate within two segments: Operating Disposal Facilities and Non-Operating Disposal Facilities. The Operating Disposal Facilities are currently accepting hazardous, PCB, industrial and low-level radioactive waste regulated under the federal Atomic Energy Act ("LLRW"), naturally occurring and accelerator produced radioactive materials ("NORM/NARM") and low-activity radioactive material ("LARM"). The Operating Disposal Facilities segment includes our Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 ("RCRA") permitted waste treatment and disposal facilities near Beatty, Nevada; Grand View, Idaho; and Robstown, Texas, our Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as amended ("AEA") permitted disposal facility near Richland, Washington and our Blainville, Québec, Canada facility ("Stablex").

        The Non-Operating Disposal Facilities segment includes our closed hazardous waste disposal, processing, and deep-well injection facilities located in Sheffield, Illinois; Bruneau, Idaho; and Winona, Texas. We currently incur costs for remediation and long-term monitoring and maintenance obligations at our closed facilities.