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Acquisitions (Narrative) (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 5 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 02, 2016 USD ($) shares | Jan. 31, 2017 territory customer | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | May 31, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) entity | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) entity | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Jun. 01, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash consideration, net of cash acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 394,002 | $ 13,703 |  |  |
Stockholders equity stock conversion ratio |  |  |  | 1.5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of individual businesses acquired that are not specifically described | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11 |  |  |  |
Impairments and other operating items |  |  |  | $ 832 | $ 7,682 |  |  | $ 141,333 | 4,634 |  |  |
Change in liability-classified contingent consideration |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17,754 | (2,563) |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  | 1,206,478 | 1,084,922 |  |  | 3,473,313 | 2,327,241 |  |  |
Income before income tax provision |  |  |  | 187,800 | 131,366 |  |  | 362,511 | 248,368 |  |  |
Goodwill expected to be deductible for tax purposes |  |  |  | 51,518 |  |  |  | 51,518 |  | $ 51,518 |  |
Goodwill acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 309,031 | 2,931,223 |  |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination gross contractual amount |  |  |  | 20,025 |  |  |  | 20,025 |  | 20,025 |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination expected to be uncollectible amount |  |  |  | $ 713 |  |  |  | $ 713 |  | $ 713 |  |
Fair value of acquired working capital is provisional | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 |  |  |  |
Groot Industries, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 200,000 |
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration payable period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 year |  |
Issuance of common shares to acquire Progressive Waste, shares | shares | 78,218,878 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Closing price per share | $ / shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 44.79
Fair value discount rate |  |  | 2.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders equity stock conversion ratio | 3.1152645 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition-related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 758 | 31,588 |  |  |
Contingent payable fair value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,452
Impairments and other operating items |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 57,362 |  |  |  |  |
Change in liability-classified contingent consideration |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,631 |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  | $ 687,108 | 826,886 |  |  |  |  |
Income before income tax provision |  |  |  |  |  | 68,289 | $ 79,470 |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill expected to be deductible for tax purposes |  |  | $ 303,594 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,023,585 |  |  |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination gross contractual amount |  |  | 239,212 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination expected to be uncollectible amount |  |  | $ 7,503 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities incurred | $ 1,659,465 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent payable fair value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] | Waste Connections, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders equity stock conversion ratio | 3.1152645 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of combined company owned |  |  | 70.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] | Progressive Waste [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of combined company owned |  |  | 30.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Groot Industries, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of customers served by company acquired | customer |  | 300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of collection operations acquired | territory |  | 7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of transfer stations acquired | territory |  | 6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of recycling facilities acquired | territory |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Individually Immaterial Non-Hazardous Solid Waste Collection Businesses [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition-related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,660 |  |  |  |
Other Acquisition [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition-related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 773 |  |  |
Number of immaterial businesses acquired in period | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 |  |  |
Goodwill expected to be deductible for tax purposes |  |  |  |  | 4,716 | 4,716 |  |  | $ 4,716 |  |  |
Goodwill acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,716 |  |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination gross contractual amount |  |  |  |  | 947 | 947 |  |  | 947 |  |  |
Trade receivables acquired in business combination expected to be uncollectible amount |  |  |  |  | $ 426 | $ 426 |  |  | $ 426 |  |  |
Tax-exempt Bonds [Member] | Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities incurred | $ 64,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other Long-term Liabilities [Member} | Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities incurred | 5,809 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities incurred |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 56,958 |  |  |  |
Debt [Member] | Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities incurred | $ 1,729,274 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,729,274 |  |  |  |

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