Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share Computations and Antidilutive Securities Excluded (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.10		$ 0.10
Continuing Operations	$ (9)	$ (23)
Discontinued Operations	0	(2)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COVANTA HOLDING CORPORATION	$ (9)	$ (25)
Basic earnings per share:
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding	129	130
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic Share	$ (0.07)	$ (0.17)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Basic Share	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)
Basic	$ (0.07)	$ (0.19)
Diluted earnings per share:
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding	129	130
Dilutive effect of restricted stock	0	0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Conversion of Debt Securities	0	0
Dilutive effect of warrants	0	0
Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding	129	130
Continuing Operations	$ (0.07)	$ (0.17)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)
Diluted	$ (0.07)	$ (0.19)
Warrants [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Strike Price	21.24
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Securities excluded from the weighted average dilutive common shares outstanding because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:	2	2
Restricted Stock [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Securities excluded from the weighted average dilutive common shares outstanding because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:	1	1
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Securities excluded from the weighted average dilutive common shares outstanding because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:	0	0
Warrants [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Securities excluded from the weighted average dilutive common shares outstanding because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:	30	29
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	0	0