Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 547,154	$ 577,420	$ 247,321
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on disposal of assets and impairments	10,193	134,491	26,741
Depreciation	572,708	530,187	393,600
Amortization of intangibles	107,779	102,297	70,312
Deferred income taxes, net of acquisitions	77,859	(153,283)	42,298
Amortization of debt issuance costs	4,158	4,341	4,847
Share-based compensation	43,803	39,361	44,772
Interest accretion	14,861	13,822	10,505
Excess tax benefit associated with equity-based compensation			(5,196)
Payment of contingent consideration recorded in earnings	(11)	(10,012)	(493)
Adjustments to contingent consideration	349	17,754	(2,623)
Other	943	1,611	(1,598)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Accounts receivable, net	(37,724)	(38,934)	(5,252)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	39,758	(51,457)	(21,650)
Accounts payable	16,135	50,012	54,219
Deferred revenue	17,916	4,205	8,016
Accrued liabilities	1,314	(15,002)	(70,041)
Capping, closure and post-closure expenditures	(2,702)	(8,845)	(4,609)
Other long-term liabilities	(3,258)	(10,708)	4,143
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,411,235	1,187,260	795,312
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(830,091)	(410,695)	(17,131)
Cash acquired from acquisition			70,769
Capital expenditures for property and equipment	(546,145)	(479,287)	(344,723)
Proceeds from disposal of assets	5,385	28,432	4,604
Other	(969)	636	(6,100)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,371,820)	(860,914)	(292,581)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	1,022,737	973,754	3,469,289
Principal payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(970,773)	(770,106)	(3,714,044)
Payment of contingent consideration recorded at acquisition date	(6,127)	(17,158)	(16,322)
Change in book overdraft	(839)	8,241	(1,305)
Excess tax benefit associated with equity-based compensation			5,196
Payments for repurchase of common shares	(58,928)
Payments for cash dividends	(152,550)	(131,975)	(92,547)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of equity-based compensation	(15,032)	(13,994)	(11,497)
Debt issuance costs	(8,630)	(3,667)	(13,506)
Proceeds from sale of common shares held in trust	2,667	10,814	19,870
Other	(103)	851	(3)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(187,578)	56,760	(354,869)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,290)	1,795	(598)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(149,453)	384,901	147,264
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	553,227	168,476	21,254
Plus (less): change in cash held for sale	192	(150)	(42)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year	403,966	553,227	168,476
SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION AND NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS:
Cash paid for income taxes	52,464	155,532	69,589
Cash paid for interest	124,338	115,645	87,654
Accrued capital expenditures for property and equipment	1,825	10,447	24,871
In connection with its acquisitions, the Company assumed liabilities as follows:
Fair value of assets acquired	1,100,880	635,361	6,018,666
Cash and restricted cash acquired			70,769
Fair value of operations exchanged		(81,097)
Cash paid and common shares issued for acquisition	(830,091)	(410,695)	(3,520,293)
Working capital settlements receivable	8,507
Liabilities assumed and notes payable issued to sellers of businesses acquired	$ 279,296	143,569	$ 2,569,142
Non-cash consideration received for asset sales		$ 12,573