XML 48 R31.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.22.4

Landfill and Environmental Remediation Liabilities (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2022
Landfill and Environmental Remediation Liabilities |
Liabilities for Landfill and Environmental Remediation Costs | Liabilities for landfill and environmental remediation costs as of December 31 are presented in the table below (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ | ​ | 2022 | ​ | 2021
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | Environmental | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | Environmental | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | Landfill |  | Remediation |  | Total |  | Landfill |  | Remediation |  | Total
Current (in accrued liabilities) |  | $ | 137 | ​ | $ | 31 | ​ | $ | 168 | ​ | $ | 137 | ​ | $ | 29 | ​ | $ | 166
Long-term | ​ |  | 2,527 | ​ |  | 173 | ​ |  | 2,700 |  |  | 2,189 | ​ |  | 184 | ​ |  | 2,373
​ |  | $ | 2,664 | ​ | $ | 204 | ​ | $ | 2,868 | ​ | $ | 2,326 | ​ | $ | 213 | ​ | $ | 2,539
​
Changes to Landfill and Environmental Remediation Liabilities | The changes to landfill and environmental remediation liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2022 are reflected in the table below (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | Environmental
​ |  | Landfill |  | Remediation
December 31, 2021 | ​ | $ | 2,326 | ​ | $ | 213
Obligations incurred and capitalized | ​ |  | 114 |  |  | —
Obligations settled | ​ |  | (121) |  |  | (28)
Interest accretion | ​ |  | 108 |  |  | 4
Revisions in estimates and interest rate assumptions (a) | ​ |  | 243 |  |  | 15
Acquisitions, divestitures and other adjustments | ​ |  | (6) |  |  | —
December 31, 2022 | ​ | $ | 2,664 | ​ | $ | 204
(a) | In 2021, the increase in our landfill liabilities for revisions in estimates and interest rate assumptions was $33 million. The increase in our landfill liabilities in 2022 is primarily due to inflationary cost pressures that are expected to impact costs over the remaining landfill lives.

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of material liabilities for remediation, site restoration, postclosure, monitoring commitments, or other exit costs that may occur on the sale, disposal or abandonment of a property as a result of unanticipated contamination of the assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Y.Q4) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011672&loc=d3e149879-122751 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EnvironmentalExitCostsByCostTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationObligationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Asset Retirement Obligation And Environmental Remediation Rollforward Analysis Table [Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wm_AssetRetirementObligationAndEnvironmentalRemediationRollforwardAnalysisTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | wm_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration