Acquisitions (Details Textual) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Business Acquisition	Mar. 31, 2011 Business	Mar. 31, 2012 Alaska Waste [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Alaska Waste [Member]	Apr. 01, 2011 Hudson Valley Waste Holding [Member] Market CollectionOperation TransferStation RecyclingFacility	Apr. 01, 2011 Russell Sweepers LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition of interest				100.00%	100.00%	50.00%
Business combination percentage of noncontrolling interest						50.00%
Amount paid for purchased operations	$ 138,908	$ 814		$ 133,402	$ 299,000
Additional consideration in current dollars			4,000
Contingent consideration	602		602
Number of collection operations acquired					6
Number of transfer stations acquired					3
Number of recycling facilities acquired					1
Operations across number of markets					6
Acquisitions (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of individual businesses acquired that are not specifically described	2	1
Goodwill expected to be deductible for tax purposes	59,637	780
Fair value of acquired working capital is provisional	7
Trade receivables acquired in business combination gross contractual amount	6,343	239
Trade receivables acquired In business combination expected to be uncollectible amount	28	56
Payment of contingent consideration gross	3,600
Payment of contingent consideration interest accretion	72
Acquisition-related costs	$ 1,777	$ 671