CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES

CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES

(7) CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES

The changes to closure and post-closure liabilities (also referred to as “asset retirement obligations”) for the six months ended June 30, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	Landfill Retirement Liability			Non-Landfill Retirement Liability			Total
Balance at January 1, 2011	$	29,756		$	8,923		$	38,679
New asset retirement obligations	1,169			—			1,169
Accretion	1,100			554			1,654
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(400		)	29			(371		)
Other changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	(4,681		)	121			(4,560		)
Settlement of obligations	(1,467		)	(306		)	(1,773		)
Currency translation and other	91			19			110
Balance at June 30, 2011	$	25,568		$	9,340		$	34,908

All of the landfill facilities included in the above were active as of June 30, 2011.

New asset retirement obligations incurred in 2011 are being discounted at the credit-adjusted risk-free rate of 8.79% and inflated at a rate of 1.01%.