Subsequent Events (Details)				5 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 20, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 21, 2017 $ / shares	Jan. 03, 2017 USD ($) customer property	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2016
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Stock repurchase plan expiration date				Aug. 07, 2017
2016 Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Maximum limit of aggregate principal amount of notes outstanding				$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000
2016 Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount				$ 750,000,000	$ 750,000,000
Scenario, Plan [Member] | First Supplement to Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount	$ 400,000,000
Payment terms	The 2017A Senior Notes bear interest at fixed rates with interest payable in arrears semi-annually on the first day of October and April beginning on October 1, 2017, and on the respective maturity dates, until the principal thereunder becomes due and payable
Maximum limit of aggregate principal amount of notes outstanding	$ 1,500,000,000
Notes outstanding	$ 1,150,000,000
Scenario, Plan [Member] | First Supplement to Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | United States Treasury Bills Rate [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	0.50%
Scenario, Plan [Member] | 2024 Notes [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount	$ 150,000,000
Interest rate	3.24%
Maturity date	Apr. 20, 2024
Scenario, Plan [Member] | 2027 Notes [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount	$ 250,000,000
Interest rate	3.49%
Maturity date	Apr. 20, 2027
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividends, declared date		Feb. 21, 2017
Dividends per share amount | $ / shares		$ 0.18
Dividends, date to be paid		Mar. 21, 2017
Dividends, date of record		Mar. 07, 2017
Subsequent Event [Member] | Groot Industries, Inc. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Revenues			$ 200,000,000
Number of customers | customer			300,000
Number of collection operations acquired | property			6
Number of transfer stations acquired | property			6
Number of recycling facilities acquired | property			2
Waste Connections, Inc. [Member] | Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Stockholders equity stock conversion ratio					2.076843
Percentage of combined company owned						70.00%
Progressive Waste [Member] | Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Percentage of combined company owned						30.00%