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Fair Value Measurements - Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member], USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Total assets $ 1,445us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure $ 162us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Total liabilities   31us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Money Market Funds [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Money market funds 1,335us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
99us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Fixed- Income Securities [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Investments 38us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
36us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Investments 44us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_RedeemablePreferredStockMember
25us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_RedeemablePreferredStockMember
Electricity commodity derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Derivative liabilities   3us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= wm_ElectricityCommodityDerivativesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Foreign Currency Derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Foreign currency derivatives 28us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
2us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Derivative liabilities   28us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Total assets 1,335us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
99us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Money market funds 1,335us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
99us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Total assets 66us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
38us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Total liabilities   31us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Fixed- Income Securities [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Investments 38us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
36us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Electricity commodity derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Derivative liabilities   3us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= wm_ElectricityCommodityDerivativesMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Foreign Currency Derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Foreign currency derivatives 28us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
2us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Derivative liabilities   28us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Total assets 44us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
25us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]
   
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Investments $ 44us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_RedeemablePreferredStockMember
$ 25us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_RedeemablePreferredStockMember