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Acquisitions and Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Jan. 08, 2016 USD ($) | Mar. 26, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 19, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Business | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Business | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Business
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total consideration, net of cash acquired, for business acquisitions closed during the year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 604,000,000 | $ 646,000,000 | $ 32,000,000
Business acquisitions closed during the year, cash payments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 581,000,000 | 537,000,000 | 26,000,000
Other consideration |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,000,000 |  |
Purchase price holdbacks paid for acquisitions closed in current year |  |  |  | $ 16,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16,000,000 |  |
Contingent consideration paid for acquisitions closed in previous year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 5,000,000
Purchase price holdbacks paid in current period |  |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |
Allocation of consideration to property and equipment |  |  |  | 115,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 243,000,000 |  |  |  | 115,000,000 | 243,000,000 | 6,000,000
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  |  |  | 212,000,000 |  |  |  | 145,000,000 |  |  |  | 212,000,000 | 145,000,000 | 9,000,000
Allocation of consideration to goodwill |  |  |  | 280,000,000 |  |  |  | 325,000,000 |  |  |  | 280,000,000 | 325,000,000 | 17,000,000
Total goodwill |  |  |  | 6,215,000,000 |  |  |  | 5,984,000,000 |  |  |  | 6,215,000,000 | 5,984,000,000 | 5,740,000,000
Total operating revenues |  |  |  | 3,460,000,000 | $ 3,548,000,000 | $ 3,425,000,000 | $ 3,176,000,000 | 3,246,000,000 | $ 3,360,000,000 | $ 3,315,000,000 | $ 3,040,000,000 | 13,609,000,000 | 12,961,000,000 | 13,996,000,000
Contingent consideration outstanding |  |  |  | 37,000,000 |  |  |  | 96,000,000 |  |  |  | 37,000,000 | 96,000,000 |
Decrease in contingent consideration |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (47,000,000) |  |
Estimated fair value of liability for additional cash payments related to acquisitions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 96,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 96,000,000 | 6,000,000
Contingent consideration paid for acquisitions closed in current year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13,000,000 | 4,000,000
Purchase price holdbacks |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 13,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 13,000,000 |
Tax deductible, goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 166,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 166,000,000 |
Non tax deductible, goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 159,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 159,000,000 |
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,000,000 | 79,000,000 | 2,090,000,000
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,000,000 | (7,000,000) | (515,000,000)
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit Facility, aggregate capacity |  |  |  | 2,250,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,250,000,000 |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated fair value of liability for additional cash payments related to acquisitions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 126,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 126,000,000 | 6,000,000
Landfill [Member] | Eastern Canada Area [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (18,000,000)
Solid Waste [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of business acquired | Business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30 | 27 | 15
Wheelabrator [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total operating revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 715,000,000
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  | $ 1,950,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7,000,000 |  |  | (519,000,000)
Cash [Member] | Eastern Canada Area [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39,000,000
Puerto Rico Operations and Certain Other Collection and Landfill Assets [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80,000,000
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25,000,000
Puerto Rico Operations and Certain Other Collection and Landfill Assets [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,000,000
Puerto Rico Operations and Certain Other Collection and Landfill Assets [Member] | Cash [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate sales prices for divestitures of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 65,000,000
Customer and Supplier Relationships [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  |  |  | 185,000,000 |  |  |  | 131,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 185,000,000 | $ 131,000,000 | 7,000,000
Trade Name [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  |  |  | 4,000,000 |  |  |  | 6,000,000 |  |  |  | 4,000,000 | 6,000,000 |
Non-compete Covenant [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  |  |  | $ 23,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 8,000,000 |  |  |  | 23,000,000 | $ 8,000,000 | $ 2,000,000
Southern Waste Systems [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total consideration, net of cash acquired, for business acquisitions closed during the year | $ 525,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to property and equipment | 93,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets | 182,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total goodwill | 250,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total operating revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 148,000,000 |  |
Southern Waste Systems [Member] | Trade Name [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets | 4,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Southern Waste Systems [Member] | Non-compete Covenant [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets | $ 18,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total consideration, net of cash acquired, for business acquisitions closed during the year |  | $ 400,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  | 100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to goodwill |  | 159,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] | Other Assets [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other assets |  | 50,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] | Total Liabilities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other assets |  | 101,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] | Cash [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to cash acquired |  | 15,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] | Property and Equipment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to property and equipment |  | 207,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deffenbaugh Disposal, Inc. [Member] | Trade Name [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allocation of consideration to other intangible assets |  | $ 6,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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