XML 54 R42.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Asset Impairments and Unusual Items - Summary (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2016
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Expense from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items, net | $ 9 | $ 106 |  | $ 10 | $ 107 |
Western Pennsylvania [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset impairments |  |  |  |  | 43 |
LampTracker Reporting Unit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill impairment charges |  |  |  |  | 10 |
Waste Diversion Technology Companies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments impairment charges |  |  |  | 28 |  |
Cost method investment impairment |  |  | $ 41 |  |  |
Investment In Majority Owned Organics Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss on sale of business |  |  |  |  | 8 |
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revisions in estimate | $ 9 |  |  | $ 9 | $ 42 | $ 44

X
- Definition Amount of expense (reversal of expense) which increases (decreases) the accrual for environmental loss contingencies from revisions in estimates to existing obligations. Excludes changes related to business acquisitions, divestitures, or currency movement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.Y.Q2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011672&loc=d3e149879-122751 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesIncreaseDecreaseForRevisionInEstimates
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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=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=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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=75025870&loc=d3e40691-111596 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CostmethodInvestmentsOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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=99375318&loc=d3e32787-111569 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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=98514028&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
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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
Name: | wm_IncomeExpenseFromDivestituresAssetImpairmentsAndUnusualItems
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Income expense from divestitures asset impairments and unusual items. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_IncomeExpenseFromDivestituresAssetImpairmentsAndUnusualItemsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wm_WesternPennsylvaniaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wm_LampTrackerReportingUnitMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=wm_InvestmentInMajorityOwnedOrganicsCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationSiteAxis=wm_SanJacintoWastePitsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |