XML 48 R35.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.2

Basis of Presentation - Credit loss (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 9 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jan. 01, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net of allowance | $ 1,927 |  |  | $ 1,949
Total allowance increase (decrease) | $ 6 |  |  |
Receivables outstanding less than 60 days (as a percent) | 90.00% |  |  |
Threshold period to measure receivables | 60 days |  |  |
Allowance activity |  |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts, beginning balance | $ 28 | $ 29 |  |
Additions charged to expense | 40 | 27 |  |
Accounts written-off, net of recoveries | (29) | (31) |  |
Acquisitions, divestitures and other, net | (4) | 2 |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts, ending balance | 34 | $ 27 |  |
Notes and other receivables, current and noncurrent | 453 |  |  |
Allowance for notes and other receivables, current and noncurrent | $ 8 |  |  |
Receivables classified as current (as a percent) | 65.00% |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |
Allowance activity |  |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts, ending balance | $ (1) |  |  |
Allowance for notes and other receivables, current and noncurrent |  |  | $ 4 |

X
- Definition Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration from customer for product sold and service rendered in normal course of business, classified as current. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593590&loc=d3e4428-111522 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121566466&loc=d3e6676-107765 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593590&loc=d3e4531-111522 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The valuation allowance as of the balance sheet date to reduce the gross amount of receivables to estimated net realizable value, which would be presented in parentheses on the face of the balance sheet. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121611835&loc=d3e5074-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsPremiumsAndOtherReceivables
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of allowance for credit loss on accounts receivable, classified as current. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121611835&loc=d3e5074-111524 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599878&loc=SL82895884-210446 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) in allowance for credit loss on accounts receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivablePeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableRollforward
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of direct write-downs of accounts receivable charged against the allowance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount due from parties in nontrade transactions, classified as other. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.8) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherReceivables
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss on accounts receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(5)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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_RevenueInitialApplicationPeriodCumulativeEffectTransitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of other increase (decrease) to the allowance for credit loss. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_AccountsReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossOther
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The percentage of receivables classified as current assets. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_ReceivablesClassifiedAsCurrentPercent
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The percentage of receivables outstanding less than threshold period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_ReceivablesOutstandingLessThanThresholdPercent
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The threshold period used to measure receivables. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_ThresholdPeriodMeasuringReceivables
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_CumulativeEffectPeriodOfAdoptionAxis=srt_CumulativeEffectPeriodOfAdoptionAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |