Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies (Textuals) [Abstract]
Future payments regarding guarantees of unconsolidated entities financial obligations		$ 11,000,000
Environmental remediation liability		275,000,000
Environmental Remediation Reasonably Possible Additional Losses, High Estimate		150,000,000
Number of sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP		79
Number of owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP		17
Number of non-owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP		62
Number of separate wage and hour lawsuits pending against certain of our subsidiaries in California, each seeking class certification		2
Dollar threshold for environmental matters requiring disclosure under Item 103 of the SEC's Regulation S-K		100,000
Approximate percentage of workforce covered by collective bargaining agreements		20.00%
Charge to "Operating" expenses for the agreed upon withdrawal of bargaining units from multiemployer pension plans, Central States	$ 28,000,000
Number of bargaining units withdrawn from multiemployer pension plans	3
Number of months expected for IRS audit(s) to be completed		6 and 18
Approximate number of homeowners' properties adjacent to or near certain of our landfills with agreements guaranteeing market value		900
Number of landfills adjacent to or near homeowners' properties with agreements guaranteeing market value		19
Term of Guarantees of financial obligations		Guarantees of unconsolidated entities' financial obligations maturing through 2020
Loss Contingency Settlement Agreement Consideration		A consent judgment finalizing the settlement was approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Superior Court on May 2, 2011. The settlement required the following payments, which were made as of June 30, 2011: $4.5 million for creation of a fund to be distributed to municipal customers of the three facilities by the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General; $2 million for civil penalties arising from alleged violations of regulations and permit conditions; and $500,000 as a donation to the Massachusetts Natural Resources Damages Trust. In addition, the Wheelabrator Group subsidiaries will fund $500,000 in supplemental environmental projects.