CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended		5 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] Unsecured Senior Notes 2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Landfill Retirement Liability	Dec. 31, 2011 Landfill Retirement Liability	Dec. 31, 2012 Non-Landfill Retirement Liability	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Landfill Retirement Liability
Changes to post-closure liabilities
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 34,881	$ 38,679		$ 25,764	$ 29,756	$ 9,117	$ 8,923
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	17,753	202			0	17,753	202
New asset retirement obligations	3,257	2,469		3,257	2,469
Accretion	3,993	3,381		2,897	2,255	1,096	1,126
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	1,194	(1,402)		133	(822)	1,061	(580)
Changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	(3,071)	(3,940)		(3,086)	(4,232)	15	292
Expenditures	(3,845)	(4,532)		(2,382)	(3,597)	(1,463)	(935)
Currency translation and other	86	24		75	(65)	11	89
Balance at the end of the period	54,248	34,881		26,658	25,764	27,590	9,117
Credit-adjusted risk-free rate (as a percent)	8.56%	8.79%
Long-term Debt, Gross			800,000
Asset Retirement Obligations Discount Rate			6.66%
Inflation rate (as a percent)	1.02%	1.01%
Environmental Property Sale, Disposal or Abandonment Costs
2013	9,501
2014	9,830
2015	7,663
2016	5,216
2017	5,850
Thereafter	261,385
Undiscounted Closure and Post-Closure Liabilities	299,445
Less: Discount at credit-adjusted risk-free rate	(156,559)
Less: Undiscounted estimated closure and post-closure liabilities relating to airspace not yet consumed	(88,638)
Present value of closure and post-closure liabilities	$ 54,248	$ 34,881		$ 26,658	$ 25,764	$ 27,590	$ 9,117