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AMORTIZATION OF WASTE, SERVICE AND ENERGY CONTRACTS (Notes)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract]  
AMORTIZATION OF WASTE, SERVICE AND ENERGY CONTRACTS
NOTE 7. AMORTIZATION OF WASTE, SERVICE AND ENERGY CONTRACTS
Waste, Service and Energy Contracts
Our waste, service and energy contracts are intangible assets and liabilities relating to long-term operating contracts at acquired facilities and are recorded upon acquisition at their estimated fair market values based upon discounted cash flows. Intangible assets and liabilities are amortized using the straight line method over their remaining useful lives, which average approximately 23 years for the waste, service and energy intangible contract assets and 3 years for the waste and service intangible contract liabilities. Waste, Service and Energy contracts consisted of the following (in millions):
 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2012
 
As of December 31, 2011
 
 
Useful
Life
 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 
Net
 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 
Net
Waste, service and energy contracts (asset)
 
1 — 35 years
 
$
620

 
$
221

 
$
399

 
$
632

 
$
198

 
$
434

Waste and service contracts (liability)
 
1 — 4 years
 
$
(126
)
 
$
(91
)
 
$
(35
)
 
$
(155
)
 
$
(79
)
 
$
(76
)


 The following table details the amount of the actual/estimated amortization expense and contra-expense associated with these intangible assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2012 included or expected to be included in our consolidated statement of income for each of the years indicated (in millions):
 
Waste, Service and
Energy Contracts
  (Amortization Expense)  
 
Waste and Service
Contracts
    (Contra-Expense) (1)
Year ended December 31, 2012
$
36

 
$
(12
)
2013
$
32

 
$
(10
)
2014
29

 
(10
)
2015
26

 
(5
)
2016
23

 
(5
)
2017
15

 
(3
)
Thereafter
274

 
(2
)
Total
$
399

 
$
(35
)
(1) See Note 14. Supplementary Information for Net (Gains) Write-offs discussion.
The weighted average number of years prior to the next renewal period for contracts that we have an intangible recorded is 8 years.