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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2023
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Summary of allowance for doubtful accounts | The following table reflects the activity in our allowance for doubtful accounts of trade receivables for the year ended December 31 (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2023 |  | 2022
Balance as of January 1 | ​ | $ | 26 | ​ | $ | 25
Additions charged to expense | ​ |  | 53 | ​ |  | 55
Accounts written-off, net of recoveries | ​ |  | (58) | ​ |  | (49)
Acquisitions, divestitures and other, net | ​ |  | 9 | ​ |  | (5)
Balance as of December 31 | ​ | $ | 30 | ​ | $ | 26
Schedule of estimated useful lives | The estimated useful lives for significant property and equipment categories are as follows (in years):
​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | Useful Lives
Vehicles — excluding rail haul cars |  | 3 to 10
Vehicles — rail haul cars |  | 10 to 30
Machinery and equipment (a) |  | 3 to 30
Buildings and improvements |  | 5 to 40
Furniture, fixtures and office equipment |  | 3 to 10
(a) | Includes recycling and renewable natural gas (“RNG”) facilities as well as containers.
Summary of investments in unconsolidated entities |
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2023 |  | 2022
Equity method investments | ​ | $ | 538 | ​ | $ | 460
Investments without readily determinable fair values | ​ |  | 68 | ​ | ​ | 62
Redeemable preferred stock | ​ |  | — | ​ | ​ | 56
Investments in unconsolidated entities | ​ | $ | 606 | ​ | $ | 578
Schedule of Supplemental Cash Flow Information | The following table shows supplemental cash flow information for the year ended December 31 (in millions):
​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​ | ​
​ |  | 2023 |  | 2022 |  | 2021
Interest, net of capitalized interest | ​ | $ | 447 | ​ | $ | 348 | ​ | $ | 387
Income taxes (a) | ​ |  | 636 | ​ |  | 736 | ​ |  | 370
(a) | The increase in income taxes paid in 2022 is primarily due to the increase in pre-tax book income during 2022 and a deposit of approximately $103 million made to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in the fourth quarter of 2022 related to a disputed tax matter for which we expect to seek a refund. See Note 8 for further discussion.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of allowance for credit loss on accounts receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-13 + Details
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- Definition A tabular presentation of the information summarizing investments in and advances to majority-owned subsidiaries, other controlled companies, and other affiliates, as prescribed by the SEC. It reflects specified information about ownership, financial results from, and financial position in such entities. Includes the tabular presentations that disaggregate investments in and advances to majority-owned subsidiaries, other controlled companies, and other affiliates. + References No definition available. + Details
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