Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Equity [Abstract]

Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, which is included as a component of Waste Management, Inc. stockholders’ equity, are as follows (in millions, with amounts in parentheses representing decreases to accumulated other comprehensive income):

	Derivative Instruments			Available- for-Sale Securities		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Post- Retirement Benefit Plans			Total
Balance, December 31, 2011	$	(62	)	$	2	$	243		$	(11	)	$	172
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $(14), $2, $0 and $(2), respectively		(22	)		2		33			(2	)		11
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $5, $0, $0 and $0, respectively		10			—		—			—			10
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		(12	)		2		33			(2	)		21
Balance, December 31, 2012	$	(74	)	$	4	$	276		$	(13	)	$	193
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $9, $1, $0 and $10, respectively		14			2		(68	)		15			(37	)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(1), $0, $0 and $0, respectively		(2	)		—		—			—			(2	)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		12			2		(68	)		15			(39	)
Balance, December 31, 2013	$	(62	)	$	6	$	208		$	2		$	154
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $4, $2, $0 and $(8), respectively		6			4		(107	)		(11	)		(108	)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(3), $0, $0 and $0, respectively		(5	)		—		(17	)		(1	)		(23	)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		1			4		(124	)		(12	)		(131	)
Balance, December 31, 2014	$	(61	)	$	10	$	84		$	(10	)	$	23

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Before Reclassifications Associated With Cash Flow Derivative Instruments

The amounts of other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications associated with our cash flow derivative instruments are as follows (in millions):

	Amount of Derivative Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI (Effective Portion)
	Years Ended December 31,
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges	2014			2013			2012
Forward-starting interest rate swaps	$	(8	)	$	14		$	(27	)
Foreign currency derivatives		23			17			(9	)
Electricity commodity derivatives		(5	)		(8	)		—
Total before tax		10			23			(36	)
Tax (expense) benefit		(4	)		(9	)		14
Net of tax	$	6		$	14		$	(22	)

Reclassification of Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The significant amounts reclassified out of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income are as follows (in millions, with amounts in parentheses representing debits to the statement of operations classification):

	Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	Years Ended December 31,									Statement of Operations Classification
Details about Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Components	2014			2013			2012
Gains and losses on cash flow hedges:
Forward-starting interest rate swaps	$	(10	)	$	(7	)	$	(3	)	Interest expense
Treasury rate locks		(1	)		(2	)		(7	)	Interest expense
Foreign currency derivatives		27			21			(15	)	Other, net
Electricity commodity derivatives		(8	)		(9	)		10		Operating revenues
		8			3			(15	)	Total before tax
		(3	)		(1	)		5		Tax (expense) benefit
Total reclassifications for the period	$	5		$	2		$	(10	)	Net of tax