XML 63 R51.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.7.0.1

Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Jun. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Trust Funds for Final Capping Closure Post Closure or Environmental Remediation Obligations [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Other Receivables Investments in Unconsolidated Entities and Other Assets [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Carrying value of trusts for which company is not the sole beneficiary | $ 98 | $ 93
Trust Funds for Final Capping Closure Post Closure or Environmental Remediation Obligations [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Long-term other assets [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Variable interest entities primary beneficiary trust fair value assets | 99 | 95
Investment in Refined Coal Facility and Low Income Housing Properties [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Aggregate investment balance | 72 | 84
Investment in Low-Income Housing Properties [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Equity method investments debt balance | $ 45 | $ 57

X
- Definition This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66022249&loc=d3e33749-111570 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Carrying amount of the assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the reporting entity's variable interest in the Variable Interest Entity (VIE), where the reporting entity is not the VIE's primary beneficiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph a -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5728-111685 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=wm_TrustForFinalCappingClosurePostClosureOrEnvironmentalRemediationObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_QualitativeAndQuantitativeInformationTransferorsContinuingInvolvementTransferredFinancialAssetsByTransferOrTransfereeAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=wm_OtherReceivablesInvestmentsInUnconsolidatedEntitiesAndOtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_QualitativeAndQuantitativeInformationTransferorsContinuingInvolvementTransferredFinancialAssetsByTransferOrTransfereeAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wm_InvestmentInRefinedCoalFacilityAndLowIncomeHousingPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wm_InvestmentInLowIncomeHousingPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |