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Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Employee waiting period after hire to participate in the defined contribution plans 90 days    
Employee maximum contribution towards defined contribution plans as percentage of annual compensation 25.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent    
Employer's match in cash of employee contributions on first specified percentage of eligible compensation 100.00%wm_EmployersMatchInCashOfEmployeeContributionsOnFirstSpecifiedPercentageOfEligibleCompensation    
First percentage of eligible compensation on which specified percentage of contribution is matched by the employer in cash 3.00%wm_FirstPercentageOfEligibleCompensationOnWhichSpecifiedPercentageOfContributionIsMatchedByEmployerInCash    
Employer's match in cash of employee contributions on next specified percentage of eligible compensation 50.00%wm_EmployersMatchInCashOfEmployeeContributionsOnNextSpecifiedPercentageOfEligibleCompensation    
Next percentage of eligible compensation on which specified percentage of contribution is matched by the employer in cash 3.00%wm_NextPercentageOfEligibleCompensationOnWhichSpecifiedPercentageOfContributionIsMatchedByEmployerInCash    
Employer maximum match of employee contribution on eligible compensation 4.50%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent    
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses for our defined contribution plans $ 63us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 63us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 63us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Accrued benefit liabilities for defined benefit pension and other post retirement plans 64us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent    
Charge to "Operating" expenses for the agreed-upon withdrawal of bargaining units from multi-employer pension plans 4wm_ExpenseRecognizedForAgreedUponWithdrawalOfBargainingUnitsFromMultiEmployerPensionPlans 5wm_ExpenseRecognizedForAgreedUponWithdrawalOfBargainingUnitsFromMultiEmployerPensionPlans 10wm_ExpenseRecognizedForAgreedUponWithdrawalOfBargainingUnitsFromMultiEmployerPensionPlans
Contributions to Multi employer Plan 44us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions 40us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions 39us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions
Multiemployer Health And Welfare Plan [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Contributions to Multi employer Plan 34us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions
/ us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanNameAxis
= wm_MultiemployerHealthAndWelfarePlanMember
34us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions
/ us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanNameAxis
= wm_MultiemployerHealthAndWelfarePlanMember
36us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions
/ us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanNameAxis
= wm_MultiemployerHealthAndWelfarePlanMember
Other Postretirement Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Unfunded benefit obligation of pension and other post-retirement plans 33us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFundedStatusOfPlan
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Pension Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Combined accumulated benefit obligation of pension plans 121us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Plan assets of pension plans 90us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Unfunded benefit obligation of pension and other post-retirement plans $ 31us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFundedStatusOfPlan
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember