v2.4.0.6

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Valuation Allowance [Line Items] |
Estimated useful lives of our property and equipment | The estimated useful lives of our property and equipment are as follows:
|  | Estimated Useful Lives |
Buildings and improvements |  |  | 7 - 40 years |
Vehicles |  |  | 5 - 12 years |
Landfill equipment |  |  | 7 - 10 years |
Other equipment |  |  | 3 - 15 years |
Furniture and fixtures |  |  | 5 - 12 years |
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Member] |
Valuation Allowance [Line Items] |
Activity in allowance for doubtful accounts | The following table reflects the activity in our allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
|  | 2011 |  |  | 2010 |  |  | 2009 |
Balance at beginning of year |  | $ | 50.9 |  |  | $ | 55.2 |  |  | $ | 65.7 |
Additions charged to expense |  |  | 21.0 |  |  |  | 23.6 |  |  |  | 27.3 |
Accounts written-off |  |  | (23.8 | ) |  |  | (27.9 | ) |  |  | (37.8 | )
Balance at end of year |  | $ | 48.1 |  |  | $ | 50.9 |  |  | $ | 55.2 |

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of valuation allowances to reduce deferred tax assets to net realizable value, including identification of the deferred tax asset more likely than not will not be fully realized and the corresponding amount of the valuation allowance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Valuation Allowance -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6528051 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 26 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 43 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 43 -Subparagraph c -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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