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Asset Impairments and Unusual Items - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items |  |  |  |  | $ 112 | $ 82 | $ (160)
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  | 59 | 89 | 355
Increase in cost estimate associated with environmental remediation liability |  |  |  |  | 44 |  |
Goodwill impairment charges |  |  |  |  | 12 |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  | 9 | (7) | (515)
Lamp Tracker Reporting Unit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill impairment charges | $ 10 |  |  |  | 12 |  |
Investment In Majority Owned Organics Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures | 8 |  |  |  | 8 |  |
Recycling Operations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  | 18 |
Goodwill impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10
Waste Diversion Technology, Renewable Energy, Recycling, and Medical Waste Operations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  | 73
Investment in Waste Diversion Technology Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charge |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11
Impairment charge relating to decline in value of minority-owned investment |  | $ 4 |  |  | 42 | 5 | 22
Oil and Gas Well [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  | $ (6) |  |  |  |
Impairment of oil and gas producing property to its estimated fair value |  | $ 70 |  |  |  | 66 | 272
Puerto Rico Operations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25
Eastern Canada Area [Member] | Landfill [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18)
Wheelabrator [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  | $ 7 |  |  | (519)
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses and other assets (net of cash divested) |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 155
Western Canada Area [Member] | Landfill [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5 |
Western Pennsylvania [Member] | Landfill [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charges | 43 |  |  |  | 43 |  |
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase in cost estimate associated with environmental remediation liability | $ 42 |  |  |  | $ 44 |  |

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- 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=68055307&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=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the cost method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872867&loc=d3e40691-111596 + Details
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- Definition This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value subject to the equity accounting method. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 35 -Paragraph 32 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64825282&loc=d3e32787-111569 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets, including but not limited to property plant and equipment, intangible assets and equity in securities of subsidiaries or equity method investee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68055307&loc=d3e2443-110228 + Details
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- Definition Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266 Reference 3: 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=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
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- Definition The expense recorded to reduce the value of oil and gas assets consisting of proved properties and unproved properties as the estimate of future successful production from these properties is reduced. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64862545&loc=d3e2921-110230 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 360 -Section 35 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66906256&loc=d3e66150-109466 Reference 3: 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=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 + Details
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- 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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