Condensed Consolidated Statements of Net Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 547,938	$ 546,551	$ 1,585,350	$ 1,552,953
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	300,910	297,849	879,470	847,860
Selling, general and administrative	59,799	57,991	175,208	170,163
Depreciation	61,373	58,998	178,318	171,920
Amortization of intangibles	7,195	6,702	21,458	20,158
Impairments and other operating charges	493,813	9,120	494,158	8,572
Operating income (loss)	(375,152)	115,891	(163,262)	334,280
Interest expense	(16,367)	(15,815)	(47,386)	(48,666)
Other income (expense), net	(1,303)	(269)	(1,430)	785
Income (loss) before income tax provision	(392,822)	99,807	(212,078)	286,399
Income tax (provision) benefit	136,017	(39,523)	64,996	(113,992)
Net income (loss)	(256,805)	60,284	(147,082)	172,407
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(204)	(200)	(743)	(644)
Net income (loss) attributable to Waste Connections	$ (257,009)	$ 60,084	$ (147,825)	$ 171,763
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Waste Connections' common stockholders:
Basic	$ (2.08)	$ 0.48	$ (1.19)	$ 1.38
Diluted	$ (2.08)	$ 0.48	$ (1.19)	$ 1.38
Shares used in the per share calculations:
Basic	123,269,902	124,342,493	123,783,217	124,179,478
Diluted	123,269,902	124,769,981	123,783,217	124,778,292
Cash dividends per common share	$ 0.13	$ 0.115	$ 0.39	$ 0.345