Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), net of tax

The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), 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):

					Foreign		Post-
			Available-		Currency		Retirement
	Derivative		for-Sale		Translation		Benefit
	Instruments		Securities		Adjustments(a)		Obligations		Total
Balance, December 31, 2020	$	(9)	$	49	$	(1)	$	—	$	39
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $0, $(1), $0 and $0, respectively		—		(3)		4		—		1
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax (expense) benefit of $3, $0, $0 and $0, respectively		8		—		(35)		(1)		(28)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		8		(3)		(31)		(1)		(27)
Balance, September 30, 2021	$	(1)	$	46	$	(32)	$	(1)	$	12

(a) As a result of the divestiture of certain non-strategic Canadian operations in the third quarter of 2021, we reclassified $35 million of cumulative translation adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income to gain from divestitures, asset impairments and unusual items within our Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.