Waste Management: Earth Day Sweepstakes ("Sweepstakes")
2014 OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS INTENDED FOR THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA (EXCLUDING QUEBEC). DO NOT ENTER IF YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AND LOCATED IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA (EXCLUDING QUEBEC) AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. VOID IN QUEBEC AND WHERE PROHIBITED. SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

  1. ELIGIBILITY: NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. Open to employees of small or medium-sized businesses (businesses that have less than 250 employees) ("Eligible Businesses"), who are (a) authorized to contract for waste disposal services on behalf of the business; (b) legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, Washington, D.C., or Canada (excluding Quebec); and (c) of legal age of majority in their jurisdiction ("Eligible Employees").

    The following individuals are not eligible to enter or win a prize: employees, contractors, directors, and officers of Waste Management National Services, Inc. ("Sponsor"), its parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies (Sponsor and its affiliated companies are collectively, "Waste Management"), and the web design, advertising, fulfillment, legal, judging, administrative, and Sweepstakes agencies involved in the administration, development, fulfillment, and execution of this Sweepstakes (collectively, "Sweepstakes Parties"), and the immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and spouse or "step" of each) and those living in the same household of each such person (those persons whether related or not who live in the same residence for at least three months during the twelve-month period preceding the start date of the Sweepstakes).

  2. SWEEPSTAKES PERIOD: Sweepstakes begins on March 3, 2014 at 12:00:01 p.m. CT and ends on April 25, 2014 at 11:59:59 a.m. CT (the "Sweepstakes Period"). The Web Site server is the official clock for this Sweepstakes.

  3. TO ENTER: During the Sweepstakes Period, you may enter the sweepstakes in different ways:

    By Creating a New Account (New Customers Only): Only Eligible Employees of an Eligible Business that is not a customer of Waste Management as of start of the Sweepstakes Period will receive one entry into Sweepstakes by signing up his or her Eligible Business for a solid waste collection service or a recycling service from Waste Management during the Sweepstakes Period. Visit wm.com/earthday, call 1-877-606-4009 or speak with a local Waste Management representative and sign up for either Waste Collection Services or Recycling to receive one entry into the Sweepstakes; you must open and complete an active new account in order to receive your entry via this method. The account must be registered in Waste Management’s system (which requires a signed standard 3-year agreement from the Eligible Business) during the Sweepstakes Period to receive an entry into the Sweepstakes. Only new accounts with billiing of less than $700 per month are eligible. Signing up for the following services are excluded from eligibility for entry into this Sweepstakes: Waste Management Recycle by Mail or LampTracker® services including LampTracker®, eScrapTrackerSM, BatteryTrackerTM and MercuryTrackerTM. By Mail: To enter without creating a new Waste Management account, Eligible Employees of an Eligible Business that is not a customer of Waste Management as of start of the Sweepstakes Period may also enter by mail without signing their business up for a Waste Management service by hand-printing "Earth Day Sweepstakes", your full name, company name, full mailing address (no PO Boxes), day and evening phone numbers, and email address, on a 3½" × 5" postcard and mailing it with proper postage to: "Earth Day Sweepstakes", PO Box 1123, Elmhurst, IL 60126. Limit one (1) entry per postage-stamped postcard or envelope. Mail-in entries must be handwritten and must be postmarked by April 25, 2014 and received by April 28, 2014. Proof of sending or submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. No mechanical reproductions will be accepted. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, invalid, misdirected, mutilated, incomplete, or postage-due mail/entries, which will be disqualified. Mail-in entries become property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Employees of current Waste Management customer are not eligible to enter via mail.

    Online (Current Customers Only): Eligible Employees of an Eligible Business that is a customer of Waste Management as of March 2, 2014 with billing of less than $700 per month may enter online at wm.com/edaysweeps (the "Web Site") during the Sweepstakes Period by following the on-screen directions to complete and submit the online entry form. Must have Waste Management account number to register for sweepstakes. Customers with only the following services are excluded: Waste Management Recycle by Mail or LampTracker® services including LampTracker®, eScrapTrackerSM, BatteryTrackerTM and MercuryTrackerTM.

    Automated means of entry are prohibited and any use of automated devices will cause disqualification. Entrants may not use any other device or artifice to enter multiple times or as multiple entrants. Any entrant who attempts to enter with multiple accounts or uses any device or artifice to enter multiple times will be disqualified and forfeits any and all prizes won, in Sponsor's sole discretion. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an entry, the natural person associated with the email account used for entry will be considered the entrant. By participating, entrants agree to abide by and be bound by these Official Rules and the Sponsor’s decisions.

    Restriction: Limit one (1) entry per person and per Eligible Business, regardless of the method of entry.

    Participation in the Sweepstakes and acceptance of any prize is subject to an employer’s policies regarding service provider promotions and gifts. Employees of eligible small businesses that prohibit participation in trade promotions and/or acceptance of prizes from service providers should not enter or accept a prize.

    Privacy Policy: Information submitted in connection with this Sweepstakes is governed by Sponsor’s Privacy Policy (available at http://www.wm.com/privacy-policy.jsp).

  4. DRAWING AND ODDS OF WINNING: First Prize Winners will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries received from all entry methods combined. One (1) Grand Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries received from entries received via the Web Site (current Waste Management customers). One (1) Grand Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries received from creation of new qualifying Waste Management accounts and via mail. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received for each drawing. Drawings will be conducted on or about April 28, 2014, by a third party promotion administrator, whose decisions shall be final and binding on all matters relating to the Sweepstakes.

  5. PRIZES AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES ("ARVs"): EIGHT (8) FIRST PRIZES: a USD $20 voucher redeemable at the Waste Management online retail store, www.WMGreenGear.com (this website contains a link to the Waste Management Canadian store). Voucher is valid through December 31, 2014.

    TWO (2) GRAND PRIZES: a trip to for two (winner and a guest) to Galveston, Texas for a bird-watching experience. Grand Prize trip includes: round-trip coach transportation from a major commercial airport near Winner’s residence within the United States or Canada to Galveston, Texas, transportation to and/or from the airport and the hotel, three (3) days/two (2) nights hotel accommodations (double occupancy accommodations) at the San Luis Resort in Galveston, TX, and a guided tour of the High Island Sanctuaries by the Houston Audubon Society and a ferry tour across the Galveston Bay. ARV of Grand Prize is USD $4,500 / CAD $4,987.50.

    Actual value of Grand Prize may vary depending on Winner’s point of travel origin, airfare and hotel fluctuations. Any difference between the stated ARV and actual value will not be awarded. Airport, airline, ground transportation and/or hotel accommodations will be determined by the Sponsor. Travel dates and accommodations are subject to availability and restrictions. Travel dates are anticipated to be May 16, 2014 to May 18, 2014, and are at Sponsor’s discretion. If Winner is unable to travel during travel dates, as designated by Sponsor, prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. No changes can be made to any trip element once it is booked/reserved. Winner and Winner’s Guest must travel on same itinerary, comply with all security requirements for travel and are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents prior to departure date for travel (e.g., a valid U.S. or Canadian driver’s license and/or passport). All airline baggage fees, hotel, meals, ground transportation, gratuities, excursions fees, alcoholic beverages and any other incidental costs or other expenses not specifically set forth herein are the sole responsibility of Winner. Winner’s Guest must be of legal age of majority in their state or province of residence. Winner and Guest must sign and return a release of liability/publicity before travel is booked. Once Guest is selected, he or she may not be substituted, except in Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Winner and/or Guest’s participation in any or all activities on the prize trip is voluntary. If in the judgment of Sponsor/Administrator air travel is not required due to winner’s proximity to destination, Winner will receive ground transportation in lieu of air transportation, and no compensation will be given for such substitution. Airline tickets are non-refundable/non-transferable and are not valid for upgrades and/or frequent flyer miles. Airline tickets are subject to flight variations, work stoppages, and schedule or route changes. Sponsor shall not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitution or any act or omission whatsoever by the air carriers, hotels, venue operators, transportation companies, prize providers or any other persons providing any Grand Prize-related services or accommodations. Additional prize details and travel information to be provided to the winner at the time of notification. Winner and Guest are also responsible for obtaining travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) at their option and hereby acknowledge that Sponsor has not and will not obtain or provide travel insurance or any other form of insurance. Lost, stolen or damaged airline tickets, travel vouchers or certificates will not be replaced or exchanged.

  6. PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Prize is non-transferable and no cash redemption or prize substitution permitted, except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. If a prize, or any portion thereof, cannot be awarded for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right in their sole discretion to substitute prize in whole or in part with one of comparable or greater value. All costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specifically provided herein are the responsibility of the winner.

  7. WINNER NOTIFICATION AND PRIZE CLAIM: Potential winner is subject to verification, including verification of age. The potential Grand Prize Winner will be contacted via the telephone number and/or email address submitted by entrant on his or her entry form and will be required to respond within 24 hours to the phone number provided to confirm his or her e-mail address and availability/interest in the Grand Prize. If Grand Prize winner does not respond to a phone notification within 24 hours of the first phone notification attempt, prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner may be contacted. Upon Sponsor’s receipt of the potential Grand Prize Winner’s e-mail address, the potential Grand Prize Winner will be sent an Declaration/Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Liability Release, and, where lawful, a Publicity Release and will be required to complete, sign, notarize and return documents within two (2) calendar days of email transmission or the Grand Prize will be forfeited and may be awarded to an alternate winner (time permitting). Winner will be contacted immediately following verification to coordinate prize trip details. First Prizes will be emailed to the addresses used during registration within 4-6 weeks after the end of the Sweepstakes Period.

    Taxes: Winners are solely responsible for any taxes on the prize, and if a Grand Prize winner is a U.S. resident, he/she will be issued an IRS Form 1099 reporting the value of the prize, and will required to complete a W9 Tax Form for the sole purpose of preparation of any tax forms, as required by law.

    Potential Canadian Winners: In order to be declared a winner, a Canadian resident must correctly answer a time-limited skill-testing question without assistance of any kind. Any selected entrant who incorrectly answers the time-limited skill-testing question will be disqualified and an alternate entrant chosen by random draw who must then correctly answer the question. If a Canadian resident wins the Grand Prize, the prize will be awarded as the cash equivalent in U.S. Dollars, less the applicable U.S. income tax (30% of the ARV), which the Sponsor will remit to the U.S. IRS, in compliance with US tax law.

  8. GENERAL CONDITIONS: INTERNET CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned for any reason, including without limitation, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who is responsible or who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, modify, or terminate the Sweepstakes. In the event of cancellation, Sponsor will award the prizes in a drawing from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to cancellation. In the event that an entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost or destroyed, entrant’s sole remedy shall be another entry into the Sweepstakes.
  9. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND RELEASE: No liability or responsibility is assumed by Waste Management or Sweepstakes Parties (collectively, Releasees") resulting from user's participation in, attempt to participate in, or download of any information in connection with participating in, the Sweepstakes. No responsibility or liability is assumed by the Waste Management or Sweepstakes Parties for technical problems or technical malfunction, including, without limitation, those arising in connection with any of the following occurrences that may affect the operation of the Sweepstakes: hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless, or Internet connectivity, or other online communication problems; errors or limitations of any Internet service providers, servers, hosts, or providers; garbled, jumbled, or faulty data transmissions; failure of any email transmissions to be sent to or received; lost, late, delayed, or intercepted email transmissions; inaccessibility of the web site in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestion on the Internet or web site; unauthorized human or non-human intervention in the operation of the Sweepstakes, including without limitation, unauthorized tampering, hacking, theft, virus, bug, worm; or destruction of any aspect of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical errors in the announcement of the prize or these Official Rules, or any inaccurate or incorrect data contained on promotional materials or on the web site. Use of web site is at user’s own risk. Releasees are not responsible for any personal injury or property damage or any other losses of any kind that may be sustained to user's or any other person's computer equipment resulting from participation in the Sweepstakes, use of the web site/wireless networks or the download of any information from the Web Site, or any other loss related to user’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt of any prize. AS A CONDITION OF ENTERING, ENTRANTS AGREE (AND AGREE TO CONFIRM IN WRITING): (A) TO RELEASE SPONSOR, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SWEEPSTAKES PARTIES FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, LOSS, OR DAMAGE INCURRED WITH RESPECT TO ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES AND THE AWARDING, RECEIPT, POSSESSION, AND/OR USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE, INCLUDING ANY TRAVELING RELATED THERETO; (B) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN AWARDS FOR, AND PARTICIPANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN FOR ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES; (C) ALL CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THIS SWEEPSTAKES, OR ANY PRIZE AWARDED, SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; AND (D) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS, AND AWARD SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, EXCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COURT COSTS.
  10. PUBLICITY: Except in Tennessee, and where prohibited by law, by accepting a prize, winners grant permission for Sponsor and those acting under its authority to use their name, and address (city and state/province),photograph, voice and/or likeness, for advertising and/or publicity purposes, in any and all media (including posting on Web Site) now known or hereinafter invented without territorial or time limitations and without further notice to and without additional compensation. If you are selected as a winner, your information may also be included in a publicly-available winners list.
  11. GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, your rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of United States and Canada applicable thereto, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules. By entering, you consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal, state and local courts located in Houston, Texas for the resolution of all disputes, and agree that any and all disputes shall be resolved exclusively in those courts. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision. If any provision of these Official Rules is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck, and the remaining provisions shall be enforced.
  12. WINNERS LIST: For the names of the Grand Prize winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Earth Day Sweepstakes – TCO001, Winners List Request, P.O. Box 1095, Elmhurst, IL 60126. Residents of Canada may omit postage on the self-addressed envelope. Requests must be received by May 30, 2014.
  13. SPONSOR: Waste Management National Services, Inc., 1001 Fannin, Suite 4000, Houston, TX 77002 USA.