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Asset Impairments and Unusual Items - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
(Income) expense from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items	$ (1)	$ 13
Western Canada Area [Member] | Landfill [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Impairment of landfill		5
Wheelabrator [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Post-closing adjustment from divestitures		$ (7)

X

- Definition

Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824106&loc=d3e2420-110228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Gain (loss) from sale or disposal of an organization or integrated set of activities (for example, but not limited to, a partnership or corporation) engaged in providing a product or service in a commercial, industrial, or professional environment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

The aggregate amount of asset impairment charges other than goodwill impairment, gains and losses related to the divestiture of businesses, and unusual items incurred during an accounting period. Generally, these items are either unusual or infrequent, but not both (in which case they would be extraordinary items).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Income expense from divestitures asset impairments and unusual items.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Details

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