Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	$ 250	$ 258	$ 446	$ 450
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes			0	0
Other adjustments			632	526
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			1,078	976
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired			(157)	(237)
Capital expenditures			(596)	(475)
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses (net of cash divested) and other sales of assets			13	27
Net receipts from restricted trust and escrow accounts and other, net			(84)	(138)
Net cash used in investing activities			(824)	(823)
Cash flows from financing activities:
New borrowings			404	706
Debt repayments			(314)	(213)
Common stock repurchases			(168)	(286)
Cash dividends			(323)	(305)
Exercise of common stock options			35	13
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and other			(59)	(38)
(Increase) decrease in intercompany and investments, net			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(425)	(123)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			3	(1)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(168)	29
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			539	1,140
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	371	1,169	371	1,169
WM [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	237	246	423	428
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes			(527)	(521)
Other adjustments			2	9
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(102)	(84)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired			0	0
Capital expenditures			0	0
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses (net of cash divested) and other sales of assets			0	0
Net receipts from restricted trust and escrow accounts and other, net			(5)	0
Net cash used in investing activities			(5)	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
New borrowings			396	592
Debt repayments			0	(17)
Common stock repurchases			(168)	(286)
Cash dividends			(323)	(305)
Exercise of common stock options			35	13
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and other			(10)	(13)
(Increase) decrease in intercompany and investments, net			37	39
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(33)	23
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(140)	(61)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			465	1,093
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	325	1,032	325	1,032
WM Holdings [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	290	293	527	521
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes			(537)	(533)
Other adjustments			(3)	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(13)	(14)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired			0	0
Capital expenditures			0	0
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses (net of cash divested) and other sales of assets			0	0
Net receipts from restricted trust and escrow accounts and other, net			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
New borrowings			0	0
Debt repayments			(147)	(35)
Common stock repurchases			0	0
Cash dividends			0	0
Exercise of common stock options			0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
(Increase) decrease in intercompany and investments, net			160	52
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			13	17
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			0	3
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	3	0	3
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	308	311	560	555
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes			0	0
Other adjustments			633	519
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			1,193	1,074
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired			(157)	(237)
Capital expenditures			(596)	(475)
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses (net of cash divested) and other sales of assets			13	27
Net receipts from restricted trust and escrow accounts and other, net			(79)	(138)
Net cash used in investing activities			(819)	(823)
Cash flows from financing activities:
New borrowings			8	114
Debt repayments			(167)	(161)
Common stock repurchases			0	0
Cash dividends			0	0
Exercise of common stock options			0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and other			(49)	(25)
(Increase) decrease in intercompany and investments, net			(197)	(91)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(405)	(163)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			3	(1)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(28)	87
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			74	47
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	46	134	46	134
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	(585)	(592)	(1,064)	(1,054)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes			1,064	1,054
Other adjustments			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired			0	0
Capital expenditures			0	0
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses (net of cash divested) and other sales of assets			0	0
Net receipts from restricted trust and escrow accounts and other, net			0	0
Net cash used in investing activities			0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
New borrowings			0	0
Debt repayments			0	0
Common stock repurchases			0	0
Cash dividends			0	0
Exercise of common stock options			0	0
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests and other			0	0
(Increase) decrease in intercompany and investments, net			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0