Commitments and Contingencies - Other (Details) $ in Millions	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2011 item	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) site item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Approximate number of homeowners' properties adjacent to or near certain of our landfills with agreements guaranteeing market value | item				800
Number of landfills adjacent to or near homeowners' properties with agreements guaranteeing market value | item				20
Number of sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site				75
Number of owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site				15
Number of non-owned sites listed on the EPA's NPL for which we have been notified we are a PRP | site				60
Approximate percentage of workforce covered by collective bargaining agreements				20.00%
Withdrawal from Multiemployer Pension Plans [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Charge to "Operating" expenses		$ 11		$ 12		$ 51
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Revisions in estimate		$ 9	$ 42	11	$ 44
Environmental remediation liabilities				55	46
Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of major rainfalls | item	2
Wheelabrator [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum future payments				96
Estimated fair value of potential obligation associated with guarantees				$ 2	$ 11