EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	17. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS WCI has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “WCI 401(k) Plan”), which is available to all eligible, non-union employees of WCI. Under the WCI 401(k) Plan, WCI makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Waste Connections of Alaska, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Alaska”), has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “Alaska 401(k) Plan”). The Alaska 401(k) Plan is available to all eligible employees of Alaska. Under the Alaska 401(k) Plan, Alaska makes contributions based on a participating employee’s hours worked and makes matching contributions of 100% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 3% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. WCI sponsors a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “R360 401(k) Plan”) on behalf of its wholly-owned subsidiary, R360 Environmental Solutions, LLC (“R360”). The R360 401(k) Plan is available to all eligible employees in the E&P group who work at operations acquired in the R360 acquisition. Under the R360 401(k) Plan, R360 makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 6% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Waste Connections of California, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“California”), has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “GreenTeam 401(k) Plan”). The GreenTeam 401(k) Plan is available to certain union employees of California, as provided in applicable collective bargaining agreements. Under the GreenTeam 401(k) Plan, California makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Prior to February, 2010, three wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company also maintained voluntary savings and investment plans, which were available to all eligible, non-union employees of the respective subsidiaries: Murrey’s Disposal Company, Inc.; Harold LeMay Enterprises, Incorporated; and Pierce County Recycling, Composting, and Disposal, LLC. The assets of all three plans maintained by these subsidiaries were merged into the WCI 401(k) Plan in January 2010. Effective January 1, 2010, all eligible employees of the three subsidiaries participate in the WCI 401(k) Plan and their respective employers make matching contributions to the WCI 401(k) Plan, consistent with WCI’s matching contributions described above. Total employer expenses, including employer matching contributions, for the 401(k) Plans described above were approximately $3,304, $2,759 and $2,662, respectively, during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. These amounts include matching contributions made under the Deferred Compensation Plan, described below. The Company also participates in various “multiemployer” pension plans administered by employer and union trustees. The Company makes periodic contributions to these plans pursuant to its labor agreements. None of the multiemployer pension plans in which the Company participates have been certified to be in “endangered” or “critical” status, as defined by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. The Company’s contributions to each individual multiemployer pension plan represent less than 5% of total contributions to such plan. Based on the most recent information available, the Company’s withdrawal liability from each individual multiemployer plan in which the Company participates is not material to the Company’s results of operations. During the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company’s total employer contributions to the multiemployer pension plans were approximately $3,812, $3,906 and $3,970, respectively. Effective for compensation paid on and after July 1, 2004, the Company established a Deferred Compensation Plan for eligible employees, which was amended and restated effective January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2010 (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”). The Deferred Compensation Plan is a non-qualified deferred compensation program under which the eligible participants, including officers and certain employees who meet a minimum salary threshold, may voluntarily elect to defer up to 80% of their base salaries and up to 100% of their bonuses, commissions and restricted stock unit grants. Members of the Company’s Board of Directors are eligible to participate in the Deferred Compensation Plan with respect to their Director fees. Although the Company periodically contributes the amount of its obligation under the plan to a trust for the benefit of the participants, the amounts of any compensation deferred under the Plan constitute an unsecured obligation of the Company to pay the participants in the future and, as such, are subject to the claims of other creditors in the event of insolvency proceedings. Participants may elect certain future distribution dates on which all or a portion of their accounts will be paid to them, including in the case of a change in control of the Company. Their accounts will be distributed to them in cash, except for amounts credited with respect to deferred restricted stock unit grants, which will be distributed in shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. In addition to the amount of participants’ contributions, the Company will pay participants an amount reflecting a deemed return based on the returns of various mutual funds or measurement funds selected by the participants, except in the case of restricted stock units that are deferred, which are credited to their accounts as shares of Company common stock. The measurement funds are used only to determine the amount of return the Company pays to participants and participant funds are not actually invested in the measurement fund, nor are any shares of Company common stock acquired under the Deferred Compensation Plan. The Company also makes a matching contribution to the Deferred Compensation Plan of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, less the amount of any match the Company makes on behalf of the employee under the WCI 401(k) Plan, and subject to the same limits that apply to the WCI 401(k) Plan, except that the Company’s matching contributions under the Deferred Compensation Plan are 100% vested when made. The total liability for deferred compensation at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $12,541 and $9,656, respectively, which was recorded in Other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

17. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

WCI has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “WCI 401(k) Plan”), which is available to all eligible, non-union employees of WCI. Under the WCI 401(k) Plan, WCI makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Waste Connections of Alaska, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Alaska”), has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “Alaska 401(k) Plan”). The Alaska 401(k) Plan is available to all eligible employees of Alaska. Under the Alaska 401(k) Plan, Alaska makes contributions based on a participating employee’s hours worked and makes matching contributions of 100% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 3% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. WCI sponsors a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “R360 401(k) Plan”) on behalf of its wholly-owned subsidiary, R360 Environmental Solutions, LLC (“R360”). The R360 401(k) Plan is available to all eligible employees in the E&P group who work at operations acquired in the R360 acquisition. Under the R360 401(k) Plan, R360 makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 6% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Waste Connections of California, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“California”), has a voluntary savings and investment plan (the “GreenTeam 401(k) Plan”). The GreenTeam 401(k) Plan is available to certain union employees of California, as provided in applicable collective bargaining agreements. Under the GreenTeam 401(k) Plan, California makes matching contributions of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, subject to certain limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

Prior to February, 2010, three wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company also maintained voluntary savings and investment plans, which were available to all eligible, non-union employees of the respective subsidiaries: Murrey’s Disposal Company, Inc.; Harold LeMay Enterprises, Incorporated; and Pierce County Recycling, Composting, and Disposal, LLC. The assets of all three plans maintained by these subsidiaries were merged into the WCI 401(k) Plan in January 2010. Effective January 1, 2010, all eligible employees of the three subsidiaries participate in the WCI 401(k) Plan and their respective employers make matching contributions to the WCI 401(k) Plan, consistent with WCI’s matching contributions described above.

Total employer expenses, including employer matching contributions, for the 401(k) Plans described above were approximately $3,304, $2,759 and $2,662, respectively, during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. These amounts include matching contributions made under the Deferred Compensation Plan, described below.

The Company also participates in various “multiemployer” pension plans administered by employer and union trustees. The Company makes periodic contributions to these plans pursuant to its labor agreements. None of the multiemployer pension plans in which the Company participates have been certified to be in “endangered” or “critical” status, as defined by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. The Company’s contributions to each individual multiemployer pension plan represent less than 5% of total contributions to such plan. Based on the most recent information available, the Company’s withdrawal liability from each individual multiemployer plan in which the Company participates is not material to the Company’s results of operations. During the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company’s total employer contributions to the multiemployer pension plans were approximately $3,812, $3,906 and $3,970, respectively.

Effective for compensation paid on and after July 1, 2004, the Company established a Deferred Compensation Plan for eligible employees, which was amended and restated effective January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2010 (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”). The Deferred Compensation Plan is a non-qualified deferred compensation program under which the eligible participants, including officers and certain employees who meet a minimum salary threshold, may voluntarily elect to defer up to 80% of their base salaries and up to 100% of their bonuses, commissions and restricted stock unit grants. Members of the Company’s Board of Directors are eligible to participate in the Deferred Compensation Plan with respect to their Director fees. Although the Company periodically contributes the amount of its obligation under the plan to a trust for the benefit of the participants, the amounts of any compensation deferred under the Plan constitute an unsecured obligation of the Company to pay the participants in the future and, as such, are subject to the claims of other creditors in the event of insolvency proceedings. Participants may elect certain future distribution dates on which all or a portion of their accounts will be paid to them, including in the case of a change in control of the Company. Their accounts will be distributed to them in cash, except for amounts credited with respect to deferred restricted stock unit grants, which will be distributed in shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. In addition to the amount of participants’ contributions, the Company will pay participants an amount reflecting a deemed return based on the returns of various mutual funds or measurement funds selected by the participants, except in the case of restricted stock units that are deferred, which are credited to their accounts as shares of Company common stock. The measurement funds are used only to determine the amount of return the Company pays to participants and participant funds are not actually invested in the measurement fund, nor are any shares of Company common stock acquired under the Deferred Compensation Plan. The Company also makes a matching contribution to the Deferred Compensation Plan of 50% of every dollar of a participating employee’s pre-tax contributions until the employee’s contributions equal 5% of the employee’s eligible compensation, less the amount of any match the Company makes on behalf of the employee under the WCI 401(k) Plan, and subject to the same limits that apply to the WCI 401(k) Plan, except that the Company’s matching contributions under the Deferred Compensation Plan are 100% vested when made. The total liability for deferred compensation at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $12,541 and $9,656, respectively, which was recorded in Other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.