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Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net pre-tax charges | $ 106,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 14,000,000 |  |  |
Positive (Negative) impact on diluted earnings per common share | $ (0.16) | $ (0.10) | $ (0.02) |  | $ (0.03) |  |  |
Pre-tax impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  | $ 59,000,000 | $ 89,000,000 | $ 355,000,000
Charge to adjust cost estimate associated with environmental remediation liability |  |  |  |  |  | 44,000,000 |  |
Goodwill impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  | 12,000,000 |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  |  | 9,000,000 | (7,000,000) | (515,000,000)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  | (4,000,000) | (555,000,000) |
Pre-tax restructuring charges |  |  | $ 8,000,000 |  |  | 4,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 82,000,000
Lamp Tracker Reporting Unit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill impairment charges | $ 10,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 12,000,000 |  |
Investment In Majority Owned Organics Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures | 8,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 8,000,000 |  |
Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Positive (Negative) impact on diluted earnings per common share |  |  |  |  | $ (0.74) |  |  |
Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  | $ (550,000,000) |  | (552,000,000) |
Early extinguishment of high-coupon senior notes |  |  |  |  | 2,000,000,000 |  | 2,000,000,000 |
Investment in Waste Diversion Technology Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net pre-tax charges |  | $ 45,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charge relating to decline in value of minority-owned, cost method investment |  |  | $ 4,000,000 |  |  | 42,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 22,000,000
Landfill [Member] | Western Canada Area [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax impairment charges |  |  |  |  | 5,000,000 |  |  |
Oil and Gas Well [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Positive (Negative) impact on diluted earnings per common share |  |  | $ (0.09) |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  | $ (6,000,000) |  |  |  |
Impairment of oil and gas property to its estimated fair value |  |  | $ 70,000,000 |  |  |  | 66,000,000 | 272,000,000
Withdrawal from Multiemployer Pension Plans [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Positive (Negative) impact on diluted earnings per common share |  |  |  | $ (0.07) |  |  |  |
Charge to "Operating" expenses |  |  |  | $ 55,000,000 |  | 0 | $ 51,000,000 | 4,000,000
Wheelabrator [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
(Income) expense from divestitures |  |  |  |  | $ 7,000,000 |  |  | (519,000,000)
Pre-tax restructuring charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000
Wheelabrator [Member] | Recycling Assets [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net pre-tax charges |  |  |  | $ 6,000,000 |  |  |  |
Positive (Negative) impact on diluted earnings per common share |  |  |  | $ 0.01 |  |  |  |
Western Pennsylvania [Member] | Landfill [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax impairment charges | 43,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 43,000,000 |  |
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Charge to adjust cost estimate associated with environmental remediation liability | $ 42,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 44,000,000 |  |

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