Organization, Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) agreement $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment agreement $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2016 USD ($)
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%	4.75%
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				33 years
Restricted asset balance for purposes of securing our performance of future final capping, closure and post-closure obligations		$ 43,636	$ 55,388	$ 55,388	$ 43,636
Cell processing reserve, current		5,566	3,932	3,932	5,566
Cell processing reserve, noncurrent		2,157	$ 1,639	$ 1,639	$ 2,157
Perpetual revenue growth rate				3.40%
Weighted average cost of capital			6.20%	6.20%
Number of operating segments | segment				6
Number of reportable segments | segment				6
Number of reporting units | segment				6	4
Goodwill write-down					$ 411,786
Goodwill		1,422,825	$ 4,390,261	$ 4,390,261	1,422,825	$ 1,693,789
Forecasts period used for discounted cash flow analyses				10 years
Intangible assets, net		511,294	1,067,158	$ 1,067,158	511,294
Property and equipment		2,738,288	$ 4,738,055	$ 4,738,055	2,738,288
Number of interest rate swap agreements | agreement			12	12
Liabilities incurred				$ 10,922	4,690
Number of fuel hedge agreements | agreement			4	4
Contractual life of warrants				5 years
Share-based compensation expense				$ 44,772	20,318	18,446
Share-based compensation expense, net of taxes				28,680	12,587	11,372
Advertising costs				3,960	3,197	3,479
Accrual for self insured liabilities		44,934	$ 108,530	108,530	44,934
Self-insurance expense				100,505	49,391	51,702
Deferred tax asset, current		$ 49,727	89,177	89,177	49,727
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09[Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Excess tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation				5,196
Cumulative effect adjustment to Retained Earnings			$ 1,392	$ 1,392
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%
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 23,213	$ 23,213
Restriced stock unit awards, vesting final year				2020
Weighted average remaining vesting period				1 year
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Share-based compensation liability			15,091	$ 15,091			$ 25,925
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 2,409	$ 2,409
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Contractual life of warrants			1 month
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period				3 years
Contractual life of warrants			2 years 1 month 24 days
Performance Shares [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 10,018	$ 10,018
Restriced stock unit awards, vesting final year				2020
Weighted average remaining vesting period				1 year 4 months 24 days
Performance Shares [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Share-based compensation liability			3,435	$ 3,435			7,218
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 1,474	$ 1,474
Weighted average share price | $ / shares			$ 79.19	$ 79.19
Performance Shares [Member] | Executive Officer [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
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%	8.00%
Vesting period of award				4 years	4 years
Performance Shares [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Vesting period of award				1 year	1 year
Performance Shares [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period				1 month
Performance Shares [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period				2 years
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Share-based compensation liability			$ 18,529	$ 18,529			$ 13,022
Unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested awards			$ 114	$ 114
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period				1 month
Contractual life of warrants			1 year 18 days
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Progressive Waste Plans [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Award vesting period				9 months
Contractual life of warrants			3 years 3 months 18 days
Western [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				$ 0	$ 0
Goodwill		$ 373,820	$ 376,537	376,537	373,820	$ 372,915
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		416,420	467,924	467,924	416,420	460,381
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		459,532	533,160	533,160	459,532	392,423
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				0	0
Southern [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				0
Goodwill		95,710	1,470,023	1,470,023	95,710
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				0
Canada [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				0
Goodwill			1,465,274	1,465,274
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down				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	77,343	77,343	468,070
Indefinite-lived intangible asset write-down	$ 38,300	$ 38,351		156
Impairment charges				$ 2,653	$ 67,647	$ 8,445
Fair value discount rate	11.60%			12.00%
Carrying value in excess of fair value amount				$ 125,692
Exploration and Production [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-04 [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill write-down				77,343
Goodwill			$ 77,343	$ 77,343