<PAGE>   1


                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                              /s/ Edmund B. Frost
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                  Edmund B. Frost




<PAGE>   2


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                                 /s/ Harold First
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                     Harold First






<PAGE>   3


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                               /s/ Robert L. Knauss
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                   Robert L. Knauss



<PAGE>   4


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                             /s/ Richard L. Marcantonio
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                 Richard L. Marcantonio


<PAGE>   5



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                                   /s/ Felix Pardo
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                       Felix Pardo




<PAGE>   6


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                                 /s/ Peter Offermann
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                     Peter Offermann




<PAGE>   7


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                               /s/ R. William Van Sant
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                   R. William Van Sant





<PAGE>   8


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned, as a director of
Philip Services Corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints
Anthony G. Fernandes and Kenneth J. Giacomino, and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, each with full power and authority (acting
alone and without the other) to execute in the name and on behalf of the
undersigned, in any and all capacities, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for 2000 and any and all amendments thereto, to be filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other documents and instruments
incidental thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all
documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority, hereby granting
to such attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority of
substitution and revocation in the premises and full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully for all intents and purposes as the undersigned
might or could do in person and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 22nd day of March, 2001.

                                              /s/ Nathaniel D. Woodson
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                  Nathaniel D. Woodson