Contact: Josh Gertler E-mail: josh@chiquitacanyon.com (213) 438-1755

Following Pride Week, Latest Donation Underscores Chiquita Canyon's Tradition of Giving to Community Groups and Programs

Valencia, Monday, July 7, 2003 - As the Canyon Country Boys & Girls Club tore down their old building to make way for the new construction of its new facility, Chiquita Canyon announced it is taking an active role in the organization's efforts by providing complimentary disposal services for the demolition. This recent donation adds to a growing list of community programs and events to which Chiquita Canyon has contributed over the last decade, giving more than $1.5 million to community efforts in the fields of education, health, environment and entertainment.

"We are proud to help the Boys & Girls Club develop facilities that will make a difference in the lives of young people in our community," commented Mike Dean, general manager of the Chiquita Canyon. "We have a long history of giving to education programs in the community and we will continue our commitment toward efforts in that area."

Chiquita Canyon works with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, the Val Verde Community Benefits Funding Committee, and other community-based organizations to fund programs that help young people excel in education, sports and environmental awareness activities. Its contributions have made possible after-school tutoring programs in the Castaic School District, Head Start programs, as well as Boys & Girls Club activities. The landfill was also recently recognized for its steadfast sponsorship of Pride Week, a community clean-up event organized by the City of Santa Clarita. This spring Chiquita Canyon provided $60,000 worth of free disposal to surrounding communities.

For the last few years Chiquita Canyon has been operating under new ownership by Republic Services, Inc., a leading provider of environmental services nationwide, including solid waste collection, transfer facilities, waste disposal and recycling services. When Republic Services assumed ownership of the 592-acre site in 1999, it fulfilled promises made to the community by previous owners and has strongly supported Chiquita Canyon's active involvement as a member of the community in which it operates.

"We view our decision to purchase Chiquita Canyon not only as a valuable investment for our business but also as a commitment to the community it serves," added Dean. "We're pleased to have an opportunity to participate in the development of new facilities that will serve young people in the Canyon Country area and we look forward to further fostering the ties with our neighbors and strengthening our community together."