Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Comprehensive income	$ 172	$ 143
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	9	8
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc.	163	135
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Comprehensive income	(567)	(449)
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc.	(567)	(449)
WM [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Comprehensive income	224	170
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc.	224	170
WM Holdings [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Comprehensive income	281	222
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc.	281	222
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Comprehensive income	234	200
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	9	8
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc.	$ 225	$ 192