Asset Impairments and Unusual Items - Details (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Asset impairments		$ 16		$ 8			$ 42	$ 38	$ 41
Goodwill impairment charges	$ 27						27	6	34
Solid waste operations impairment	10	$ 7					15
(Gain) loss from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items, net							42	(58)	(16)
Gain (loss) on sale of assets						$ 40		96	38
Increase (decrease) in contingent consideration							(6)
Investment impairment			$ 52				52
San Jacinto Waste Pits [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Revisions in estimate									11
Waste Diversion Technology Company [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Equity method investments impairment charges									29
Cost method investment impairment									11
Oil and Gas Well [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Gains from sale of oil and gas properties									31
Energy and Environmental Services [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in contingent consideration									(30)
Renewable Energy Assets [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Asset impairments									$ 7
Energy and Environmental Services [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charges	17						17
Lamp Tracker Reporting Unit [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charges	$ 10						10
Landfill [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Asset impairments					$ 29			30
Tier 1 [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sale of assets				$ 52				52
Other [Member]
Income Expense From Divestitures Asset Impairments And Unusual Items [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment charges							$ 27	6
Gain (loss) on sale of assets								$ 44