Organization, Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Detail) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) agreement	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) segment agreement	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) agreement
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Discount rate for purposes of computing layers for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations				4.75%	5.75%
Inflation rate for purposes of computing layers for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations				2.50%	2.50%
Life of Company's owned landfills and landfills operated under life of site operating agreements min range				1 year
Life of Company's owned landfills and landfills operated under life of site operating agreements max range				183 years
Average remaining landfill life based on permitted capacity, projected annual disposal volumes and probable expansion capacity				38 years
Restricted asset balance for purposes of securing our performance of future final capping, closure and post-closure obligations			$ 43,636	$ 43,636			$ 43,636
Cell processing reserve, current			5,566	5,566	$ 6,136		5,566
Cell processing reserve, noncurrent			$ 2,157	$ 2,157	2,409		$ 2,157
Perpetual revenue growth rate				3.30%
Weighted average cost of capital			5.00%	5.00%			5.00%
Number of geographic operating segments | segment				3
Number of operating segments | segment				4
Goodwill write-down				$ 411,786
Goodwill			$ 1,422,825	$ 1,422,825	1,693,789	$ 1,675,154	$ 1,422,825
Forecasts period used for discounted cash flow analyses				10 years
Impairment charges					8,445
Intangible assets, net			511,294	$ 511,294	509,995		511,294
Property and equipment			$ 2,738,288	$ 2,738,288	2,594,205		$ 2,738,288
Number of interest rate swap agreements | agreement			6	6			6
Number of fuel hedge agreements | agreement			2	2			2
Contractual life of warrants				5 years
Equity-based compensation expense				$ 20,318	18,446	15,397
Equity-based compensation expense, net of taxes				12,587	11,372	9,508
Advertising costs				3,197	3,479	3,704
Accrual for self insured liabilities			$ 44,934	44,934	44,849		$ 44,934
Self-insurance expense				$ 49,391	51,702	48,032
Minimum [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expected term of related agreements				1 year
Maximum [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expected term of related agreements				56 years
Fuel [Member] | Commodity Contract [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ineffectiveness recognized on hedge				$ 0	0	0
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assumed forfeiture rate			8.00%	8.00%			8.00%
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 25,984	$ 25,984			$ 25,984
Restriced stock unit awards, vesting final year				2019
Weighted average remaining vesting period				1 year 1 month 6 days
Performance Shares [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 6,965	$ 6,965			$ 6,965
Restriced stock unit awards, vesting final year				2019
Weighted average remaining vesting period				1 year 7 months 6 days
Performance Shares [Member] | Executive Officer [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assumed forfeiture rate			0.00%	0.00%			0.00%
Vesting period of award				3 years			3 years
Performance Shares [Member] | Officer [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assumed forfeiture rate			8.00%	8.00%			8.00%
Vesting period of award				4 years
Performance Shares [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Vesting period of award				1 year
Western [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				$ 0	0
Goodwill			$ 373,820	373,820	372,915	372,915	$ 373,820
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				0	0
Central [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				0	0
Goodwill			472,425	472,425	460,381	459,054	472,425
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				0	0
Eastern [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				0	0
Goodwill			499,237	499,237	392,423	380,570	499,237
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				0	0
Exploration and Production [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down	$ 411,786			411,786
Goodwill			77,343	77,343	$ 468,070	$ 462,615	77,343
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down	$ 38,300		38,351
Impairment charges		$ 8,445		67,647
Intangible assets, net			21,504	21,504			21,504
Property and equipment			$ 929,839	$ 929,839			$ 929,839
Fair value discount rate	11.60%