Organization, Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Property Plant and Equipment Estimated Useful Lives

The estimated useful lives are as follows: 

Buildings	10 – 20 years
Leasehold and land improvements	3 – 10 years
Machinery and equipment	3 – 12 years
Rolling stock	2 – 10 years
Containers	5 – 12 years

Reconciliation of Final Capping, Closure and Post-Closure Liability Balance

The following is a reconciliation of the Company’s final capping, closure and post-closure liability balance from December 31, 2012 to December 31, 2014: 

Final capping, closure and post-closure liability at December 31, 2012	$	46,473
Adjustments to final capping, closure and post-closure liabilities		(3,528)
Liabilities incurred		4,668
Accretion expense associated with landfill obligations		2,749
Closure payments		(234)
Final capping, closure and post-closure liability at December 31, 2013		50,128
Adjustments to final capping, closure and post-closure liabilities		4,176
Liabilities incurred		3,846
Accretion expense associated with landfill obligations		3,408
Closure payments		(178)
Assumption of closure liabilities from acquisitions		120
Final capping, closure and post-closure liability at December 31, 2014	$	61,500

Carrying Values and Fair Values of Debt Instruments

The carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt instruments where the carrying values do not approximate their fair values as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, are as follows: 

	Carrying Value at December 31,				Fair Value* at December 31,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
6.22% Senior Notes due 2015	$	175,000	$	175,000	$	181,476	$	187,206
3.30% Senior Notes due 2016	$	100,000	$	100,000	$	102,253	$	102,066
4.00% Senior Notes due 2018	$	50,000	$	50,000	$	52,500	$	50,992
5.25% Senior Notes due 2019	$	175,000	$	175,000	$	192,974	$	185,037
4.64% Senior Notes due 2021	$	100,000	$	100,000	$	108,088	$	100,341

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*Senior Notes are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.  Fair value is based on quotes of bonds with similar ratings in similar industries.

Fair Value of Derivative Instrument Designated as Cash Flow Hedges

The fair values of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges as of December 31, 2014, were as follows: 

Derivatives Designated as Cash	Asset Derivatives			Liability Derivatives
Flow Hedges	Balance Sheet Location		Fair Value	Balance Sheet Location		Fair Value
Interest rate swaps	Other assets, net	$	250	Accrued liabilities(a)	$	(4,044)
				Other long-term liabilities		(3,300)
Fuel hedge				Accrued liabilities(b)		(1,979)
Total derivatives designated as cash flow hedges		$	250		$	(9,323)

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(a)Represents the estimated amount of the existing unrealized losses on interest rate swaps as of December 31, 2014 (based on the interest rate yield curve at that date), included in AOCL expected to be reclassified into pre-tax earnings within the next 12 months.  The actual amounts reclassified into earnings are dependent on future movements in interest rates.

(b)Represents the estimated amount of the existing unrealized losses on the fuel hedge as of December 31, 2014 (based on the forward DOE diesel fuel index curve at that date), included in AOCL expected to be reclassified into pre-tax earnings within the next 12 months.  The actual amounts reclassified into earnings are dependent on future movements in diesel fuel prices.

The fair values of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges as of December 31, 2013, were as follows: 

Derivatives Designated as Cash	Asset Derivatives			Liability Derivatives
Flow Hedges	Balance Sheet Location		Fair Value	Balance Sheet Location		Fair Value
Interest rate swaps				Accrued liabilities	$	(3,373)
				Other long-term liabilities		(1,853)
Fuel hedge	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	1,304
	Other assets, net		895
Total derivatives designated as cash flow hedges		$	2,199		$	(5,226)

Impact of Cash Flow Hedges on Results of Operations, Comprehensive Income and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

The following table summarizes the impact of the Company’s cash flow hedges on the results of operations, comprehensive income and AOCL for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012: 

Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges	Amount of Gain or (Loss) Recognized as AOCL on Derivatives, Net of Tax (Effective Portion)(a)						Statement of Income Classification	Amount of (Gain) or Loss Reclassified from AOCL into Earnings, Net of Tax (Effective Portion)(b), (c)
	Years Ended December 31,							Years Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012			2014		2013		2012
Interest rate swaps	$	(3,970)	$	188	$	(4,524)	Interest expense	$	2,824	$	3,483	$	3,279
Fuel hedge		(2,071)		625		1,358	Cost of operations		(507)		-		(2,798)
Total	$	(6,041)	$	813	$	(3,166)		$	2,317	$	3,483	$	481

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(a)In accordance with the derivatives and hedging guidance, the effective portions of the changes in fair values of interest rate swaps and the fuel hedge have been recorded in equity as a component of AOCL.  As the critical terms of the interest rate swaps match the underlying debt being hedged, no ineffectiveness is recognized on these swaps and, therefore, all unrealized changes in fair value are recorded in AOCL.  Because changes in the actual price of diesel fuel and changes in the DOE index price do not offset exactly each reporting period, the Company assesses whether the fuel hedge is highly effective using the cumulative dollar offset approach. 

(b)Amounts reclassified from AOCL into earnings related to realized gains and losses on interest rate swaps are recognized when interest payments or receipts occur related to the swap contracts, which correspond to when interest payments are made on the Company’s hedged debt. 

(c)Amounts reclassified from AOCL into earnings related to realized gains and losses on the fuel hedge are recognized when settlement payments or receipts occur related to the hedge contract, which correspond to when the underlying fuel is consumed. 

Interest Rate Swap [Member]

Company's Derivative Instruments

At December 31, 2014, the Company’s derivative instruments included seven interest rate swap agreements as follows: 

Date Entered	Notional Amount		Fixed Interest Rate Paid*	Variable Interest Rate Received	Effective Date	Expiration Date
August 2011	$	150,000	0.798%	1-month LIBOR	April 2012	January 2015
December 2011	$	175,000	1.600%	1-month LIBOR	February 2014	February 2017
April 2014	$	100,000	1.800%	1-month LIBOR	July 2014	July 2019
May 2014	$	50,000	2.344%	1-month LIBOR	October 2015	October 2020
May 2014	$	25,000	2.326%	1-month LIBOR	October 2015	October 2020
May 2014	$	50,000	2.350%	1-month LIBOR	October 2015	October 2020
May 2014	$	50,000	2.350%	1-month LIBOR	October 2015	October 2020

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*  plus applicable margin. 

Fuel [Member] | Commodity Contract [Member]

Company's Derivative Instruments

At December 31, 2014, the Company’s derivative instruments included one fuel hedge agreement as follows: 

Date Entered	Notional Amount (in gallons per month)		Diesel Rate Paid Fixed (per gallon)	Diesel Rate Received Variable	Effective Date	Expiration Date
June 2012	300,000	$	3.60	DOE Diesel Fuel Index*	January 2014	December 2015

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*  If the national U.S. on-highway average price for a gallon of diesel fuel (“average price”), as published by the Department of Energy, exceeds the contract price per gallon, the Company receives the difference between the average price and the contract price (multiplied by the notional number of gallons) from the counterparty.  If the average price is less than the contract price per gallon, the Company pays the difference to the counterparty.