The initial idea of Waste Industries stemmed from market research Poole conducted while developing a concept for a new landfill compactor.
The compactor idea failed, but Poole soon discovered his passion and moved back to Raleigh, North Carolina and launched Waste Industries in 1970.
[5][6] After a few years of stagnation, the company grew in the 1970s and quickly expanded past Wake County and the city of Raleigh.
As Poole successfully grew Waste Industries, he decided to give back to the college that helped make him the person he is today.
"[13] In 2021, the Lonnie & Carol Poole Family Foundation received the top Corporate Philanthropy Award in North Carolina.