XML 101 R80.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Commitments and Contingencies - Other (Details) $ in Millions | 2 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 31, 2011 item | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) site item | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Approximate number of homeowners' properties adjacent to or near certain of our landfills with agreements guaranteeing market value | item |  |  |  | 800 |  |
Number of landfills adjacent to or near homeowners' properties with agreements guaranteeing market value | item |  |  |  | 20 |  |
Number of sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site |  |  |  | 75 |  |
Number of owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site |  |  |  | 15 |  |
Number of non-owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site |  |  |  | 60 |  |
Approximate percentage of workforce covered by collective bargaining agreements |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |
Withdrawal from Multiemployer Pension Plans [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Charge to "Operating" expenses |  | $ 11 |  | $ 12 |  | $ 51
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revisions in estimate |  | $ 9 | $ 42 | 11 | $ 44 |
Environmental remediation liabilities |  |  |  | 55 | 46 |
Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of major rainfalls | item | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Wheelabrator [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum future payments |  |  |  | 96 |  |
Estimated fair value of potential obligation associated with guarantees |  |  |  | $ 2 | $ 11 |

X
- Definition Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 25 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6395460&loc=d3e13647-108346 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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 Fair value of obligations measured on a recurring basis. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisObligations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913245&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of employee participants subject to a collective bargaining arrangement to all participants in a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877416&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansCollectiveBargainingArrangementPercentageOfParticipants
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingExpenses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_CommitmentsAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Approximate number of homeowners properties adjacent to or near certain of our landfills with agreements guaranteeing market value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfHomeownersPropertiesAdjacentToOrNearCertainOfOurLandfillsWithAgreementsGuaranteeingMarketValue
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of landfills adjacent to or near homeowners properties with agreements guaranteeing market value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfLandfillsAdjacentToOrNearHomeownersPropertiesWithAgreementsGuaranteeingMarketValue
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of major rainfalls. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfMajorRainstorms
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of non-owned sites listed on the environmental protection agency's national priorities list for which we have been notified we are a PRP. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfNonOwnedSitesListedOnEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyNationalPrioritiesListForWhichWeHaveBeenNotifiedWeArePrp
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of owned sites listed on environmental protection agency's national priorities list for which we have been notified we are PRP. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfOwnedSitesListedOnEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyNationalPrioritiesListForWhichWeHaveBeenNotifiedWeArePrp
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of sites listed on the environmental protection agency's national priorities list for which we have been notified we are a PRP. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_NumberOfSitesListedOnEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyNationalPrioritiesListForWhichWeHaveBeenNotifiedWeArePrp
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_WithdrawalFromMultiemployerDefinedBenefitPlanMember
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: |

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

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