The waste and recycling industry's publicly-traded companies all appeared to be on track for another strong year of earnings in 2020, and many are still seeing positive Q1 results, but the new coronavirus pandemic has changed that trajectory.

So far, major players have suspended most annual guidance amid reported significant impacts starting in mid-March when parts of the North American economy shut down. Commercial and industrial volumes are down in many areas, and while residential volumes may be up, this is largely a near-term expense under most scenarios. Overall, the companies that have reported Q1 earnings to date say they're working to adapt quickly and can be resilient for whatever comes next.