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Segment and Related Information - Reportable Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	$ 3,176	$ 3,040
Income from operations	508	440
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	3,782	3,575
Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(606)	(535)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from operations	(143)	(143)
Solid Waste: Tier 1 [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	1,029	1,005
Income from operations	334	296
Solid Waste: Tier 1 [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	1,241	1,195
Solid Waste: Tier 1 [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(212)	(190)
Solid Waste: Tier 2 [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	639	637
Income from operations	145	139
Solid Waste: Tier 2 [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	781	780
Solid Waste: Tier 2 [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(142)	(143)
Solid Waste: Tier 3 [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	1,048	942
Income from operations	208	178
Solid Waste: Tier 3 [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	1,260	1,122
Solid Waste: Tier 3 [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(212)	(180)
Solid Waste [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	2,716	2,584
Income from operations	687	613
Solid Waste [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	3,282	3,097
Solid Waste [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(566)	(513)
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	460	456
Income from operations	(36)	(23)
Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	500	478
Other [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	(40)	(22)
Operating Group Total [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	3,176	3,040
Income from operations	651	583
Operating Group Total [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	3,782	3,575
Operating Group Total [Member] | Intercompany Operating Revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	$ (606)	(535)
Wheelabrator [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from operations		$ (7)

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

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