Driving the “Landfill of the Future”: Inside WM’s Pilot of Cat® Command Remote-Controlled Technology
Remote-controlled equipment is reshaping how landfill operators do their work and paving the way for what comes next
From inside a climate-controlled room, a landfill operator can move thousands of pounds of material using a joystick, foot control pedals and a bank of screens—watching the equipment from a 360-degree view without ever stepping outside.
That’s how WM is using Caterpillar’s Cat® Command remote-controlled technology at its Marana Landfill near Tucson, Arizona, where a bulldozer equipped with the system supports daily operations.
In late 2025, teams on site began evaluating how remote-controlled technology performs in landfill environments—where terrain, materials and working conditions present unique challenges—while helping reduce operator exposure to heat, dust and other elements.
“At WM, innovation is helping us find new ways to work smarter and safer,” said Matt Wagner, senior director of optimization and automation, WM. “Our goal is unchanged: ensuring every employee goes home safely, every day.”
Turning Testing into What’s Next
While remote-controlled systems have been used in industries such as mining and construction, use in solid waste is still emerging. WM is the first company to utilize Cat® Command technology in the solid waste industry, working closely with Caterpillar to understand how it performs in real-world conditions.
Those insights are now helping inform WM’s next step. Building on a successful pilot of remote-controlled heavy equipment in landfill operations, WM is further collaborating with Caterpillar to test autonomous heavy equipment solutions.
While the tools are changing, the need for skilled operators is not. Instead, roles are evolving—with operators using digital tools and remote systems alongside traditional equipment to improve safety and performance.
“Safety is a core value at WM, and technology is helping enhance the safety of our employees by physically removing them from environmental challenges,” said Marcel Dalby, senior vice president of business optimization and collection operations. “The work we’re doing today is helping define how these technologies can be applied more broadly in the future.”
► Watch the video below to see how Cat® Command technology works in practice — from the control room to the landfill face — and how operators are adapting to this new way of working.
Related content
WM and Caterpillar showcased this technology at CES 2026, highlighting how innovation is shaping the next generation of landfill operations.