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Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Quarterly Financial Information
Gain (loss) on sale of assets			$ 40				$ 96	$ 38	$ (9)
Positive (negative) impact on earnings per share	$ 0.07	$ (0.05)	$ 0.07		$ (0.03)	$ 0.01
Reduction in provision for income taxes due to tax audit settlements			$ (33)				(40)	(2)	(11)
Net reduction in income tax expense due to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act								(529)
Net pre-tax (gains) losses		$ 32		$ 26
Impairment charges	$ 8						38	41	59
Deferred tax adjustment							(17)
Excess tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation						$ 32	17	37
Remeasurement of net deferred tax assets and liabilities due to tax legislation								(595)
Mandatory transition tax due to tax legislation								66
Goodwill impairment charges				$ 34			6	34	12
Debt repayments							499	$ 1,907	2,682
Senior Notes, 6.1 Percent, Due March 2018 [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Positive (negative) impact on earnings per share				$ (0.01)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				$ (6)
Debt repayments				$ 590
Interest rate				6.10%				6.10%
Waste Diversion Technology Company [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Positive (negative) impact on earnings per share				$ (0.02)
Equity method investments impairment charges						$ 25		$ 29
Cost method investment impairment				$ 11				11	42
Withdrawal from Multiemployer Pension Plans [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Charge to "Operating" expenses					$ 11		3	12
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Revisions in estimate					$ 9			11	44
Business Activity Gain (Loss) [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Positive (negative) impact on earnings per share				$ 0.03
Oil and Gas Well [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Gains from sale of oil and gas properties				$ 31				31
Energy and Environmental Services [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Decrease in contingent consideration				$ (30)				(30)
Lamp Tracker Reporting Unit [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Goodwill impairment charges	$ 6
Landfill [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Impairment charges		$ 29					30		$ 43
Tax Implications [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Positive (negative) impact on earnings per share	$ 0.04	$ 0.06		$ 1.21
Net reduction in income tax expense due to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act		$ (27)		$ (529)
Deferred tax adjustment	$ (17)
Remeasurement of net deferred tax assets and liabilities due to tax legislation				(595)
Mandatory transition tax due to tax legislation				$ 66
Tier 1 [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Gain (loss) on sale of assets	$ 52						52
Other [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information
Gain (loss) on sale of assets							44
Goodwill impairment charges							$ 6	$ 34

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