Landfill Accounting - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 Landfill	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Scenario, Forecast
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of municipal solid waste landfills owned and operated by company	42
Number of owned landfills that only accept exploration and production waste	5
Number of owned landfills that only accept construction and demolition, industrial and other non-putrescible waste	7
Number of landfills owned and operated by company	43
Number of landfills operated, not owned, under life of site operating agreements	6
Number of landfills operated under limited-term operating agreements	5
Net Book Value Landfill Site Costs	$ 1,626,169
Number of life-of-site landfills for which the Company is responsible for final capping, closure and post-closure maintenance obligations	5
Average remaining landfill life based on permitted capacity and projected annual disposal volumes	34 years
Number of owned landfills the company is seeking to expand	8
Number of landfills operated under life-of-site operating agreements that the company is seeking to expand	2
Average remaining landfill life based on permitted capacity, projected annual disposal volumes and probable expansion capacity	43 years
Life of Company's owned landfills and landfills operated under life of site operating agreements min range	6 years
Life of Company's owned landfills and landfills operated under life of site operating agreements max range	201 years
Landfill depletion expense	60,142	35,219
Average rate per ton consumed related to landfill depletion at owned landfills and landfills operated under life of site agreements	4.21	3.15
Discount rate for purposes of computing layers for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations			5.75%	5.75%
Inflation rate for purposes of computing layers for final capping, closure and post-closure obligations			2.50%	2.50%
Accretion expense associated with landfill obligations	2,077	1,870
Average rate per ton consumed related to final capping, closure and post-closure landfill accretion expense	0.15	0.17
Restricted asset balance for purposes of securing our performance of future final capping, closure and post-closure obligations	$ 32,816