CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of closure and post-closure liabilities

The changes to closure and post-closure liabilities (also referred to as “asset retirement obligations”) for the nine months ended September 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
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	—			196			196
New asset retirement obligations	1,749			—			1,749
Accretion	1,654			842			2,496
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(936		)	(15		)	(951		)
Other changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	(6,150		)	121			(6,029		)
Settlement of obligations	(3,011		)	(441		)	(3,452		)
Currency translation and other	(141		)	(41		)	(182		)
Balance at September 30, 2011	$	22,921		$	9,585		$	32,506