XML 125 R104.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Segment and Related Information - Summary information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Assets | $ 21,829 | $ 21,829 | $ 20,859 | $ 20,367
Goodwill, Beginning Balance |  | 6,215 | 5,984 |
Acquired goodwill |  | 39 | 280 |
Divested goodwill |  | (1) | (1) |
Impairments | (34) | (34) | (12) |
Foreign currency translation |  | 28 | 12 |
Other adjustments |  |  | (48) |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 6,247 | 6,247 | 6,215 |
Tier 1 [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance |  | 2,203 | 2,190 |
Acquired goodwill |  | 12 | 11 |
Foreign currency translation |  | 6 | 2 |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 2,221 | 2,221 | 2,203 |
Tier 2 [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance |  | 1,196 | 1,176 |
Acquired goodwill |  | 20 | 12 |
Divested goodwill |  | (1) |  |
Foreign currency translation |  | 22 | 10 |
Other adjustments |  |  | (2) |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 1,237 | 1,237 | 1,196 |
Tier 3 [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance |  | 2,661 | 2,408 |
Acquired goodwill |  | 7 | 254 |
Divested goodwill |  |  | (1) |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 2,668 | 2,668 | 2,661 |
Other [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Beginning Balance |  | 155 | 210 |
Acquired goodwill |  |  | 3 |
Impairments |  | (34) | (12) |
Other adjustments |  |  | (46) |
Goodwill, Ending Balance | 121 | 121 | 155 |
Elimination of Intercompany Investments and Advances [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Assets | $ (287) | $ (287) | $ (278) | $ (539)

X
- Definition Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events. + 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)(12)) -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(11)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Assets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing 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 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits 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 1 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLoss
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 Amount of increase (decrease), classified as other, of an asset representing the future economic benefits 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 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillOtherIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of divestiture of an asset representing 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 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wm_TierOneMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wm_TierTwoMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=wm_TierThreeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_MaterialReconcilingItemsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |