CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

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, 2012 were as follows (in thousands):

	Landfill Retirement Liability			Non-Landfill Retirement Liability			Total
Balance at January 1, 2012	$	25,764		$	9,117		$	34,881
New asset retirement obligations	2,292			—			2,292
Accretion	2,145			810			2,955
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	490			446			936
Other changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	(2,058		)	15			(2,043		)
Expenditures	(1,995		)	(565		)	(2,560		)
Currency translation and other	120			52			172
Balance at September 30, 2012	$	26,758		$	9,875		$	36,633