11. Asset Impairments and Unusual Items

(Gain) Loss from Divestitures, Asset Impairments and Unusual Items, Net

The following table summarizes the major components of (gain) loss from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items, net for the years ended December 31 (in millions):


	2018		2017		2016
(Gain) loss from divestitures	$	(96)	$	(38)	$	9
Asset impairments		38		41		59
Other		—		(19)		44
	$	(58)	$	(16)	$	112

During the year ended December 31, 2018, we recognized net gains of $58 million, primarily related to (i) a $52 million gain associated with the sale of certain hauling operations in our Tier 1 segment and (ii) net gains of $44 million substantially all from divestitures of certain ancillary operations. These gains were partially offset by (i) a $30 million charge to impair a landfill in our Tier 3 segment based on an internally developed discounted projected cash flow analysis, taking into account continued volume decreases and revised capping cost estimates and (ii) $8 million of impairment charges primarily related to our LampTracker® reporting unit.

During the year ended December 31, 2017, we recognized net gains of $16 million, primarily related to (i) gains of $31 million from the sale of certain oil and gas producing properties and (ii) a $30 million reduction in post-closing, performance-based contingent consideration obligations associated with an acquired business in our EES organization. These gains were partially offset by (i) $34 million of goodwill impairment charges primarily related to our EES organization; (ii) $11 million of charges to adjust our subsidiary’s estimated potential share of an environmental remediation liability and related costs for a closed site in Harris County, Texas, as discussed in Note 10 and (iii) $7 million of charges to write down certain renewable energy assets.

During the year ended December 31, 2016, we recognized net charges of $112 million, primarily related to (i) $44 million of charges to adjust our subsidiary’s estimated potential share of an environmental remediation liability and related costs for a closed site in Harris County, Texas, as discussed in Note 10; (ii) a $43 million charge to impair a landfill in our Tier 3 segment due to a loss of expected volumes; (iii) $12 million of goodwill impairment charges primarily related to our LampTracker® reporting unit and (iv) an $8 million loss on the sale of a majority-owned organics company.

See Note 3 for additional information related to the accounting policy and analysis involved in identifying and calculating impairments and see Note 19 for additional information related to the impact of impairments on the results of operations of our reportable segments.

Equity in Net Losses of Unconsolidated Entities

During the year ended December 31, 2017, we recognized $29 million of impairment charges to write down equity method investments in waste diversion technology companies to their estimated fair values.

Other, Net

During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, we recognized impairment charges of $11 million and $42 million, respectively, related to other-than-temporary declines in the value of minority-owned investments in waste diversion technology companies. We wrote down our investments to their estimated fair values which was primarily determined using an income approach based on estimated future cash flow projections and, to a lesser extent, third-party investors’ recent transactions in these securities.