Debt Instrument Maturity Year

No definition available.

Name:	cva_DebtInstrumentMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	cva_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 20, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, after unamortized discount or premium, scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow for loan and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3291-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from the issuance of long-term tax exempt debt that is not secured by collateral.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfUnsecuredTaxExemptDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cva_TaxExemptBondsdue2024to2045Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_MassachusettsSeries2012AMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_MassachusettsSeries2012BMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_MassachusettsSeries2012CMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_NiagaraSeries2012AMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_NiagaraSeries2012BMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_NewJerseySeries2015AMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TaxExemptBondTypeAxis=cva_PennsylvaniaSeries2015AMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TypeOfCostsAxis=cva_DebtOfferingCostsExpensedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_TypeOfCostsAxis=cva_DebtOfferingCostsDeferredMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cva_EfwFacilityAxis=cva_CovantaDelawareValleyLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cva_VariableRateTaxExemptBonddue2043MemberMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

Tax-Exempt Bonds (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Tax-Exempt Bonds (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 01, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Offering Expense		$ 6	$ 11	$ 36
Long-term Debt		2,252	2,263
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities		9	8
Tax Exempt Bonds due 2024 to 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Unsecured Tax Exempt Debt			$ 130		$ 335
Offering Expense					7
Long-term Debt		464
Massachusetts Series 2012A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 20
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2027
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.875%
Massachusetts Series 2012B [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 67
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2042
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.875%
Massachusetts Series 2012C [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 82
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2042
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.25%
Niagara Series 2012A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 130
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2042
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.25%
Niagara Series 2012B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 35
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2024
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.00%
New Jersey Series 2015A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 90
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2045
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.25%
Pennsylvania Series 2015A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		$ 40
Debt Instrument Maturity Year		2043
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.00%
Debt Offering Costs Expensed [Member] \| Tax Exempt Bonds due 2024 to 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Offering Expense					3
Debt Offering Costs Deferred [Member] [Member] \| Tax Exempt Bonds due 2024 to 2045 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Offering Expense					$ 4
Covanta Delaware Valley L P [Member] \| Variable Rate Tax Exempt Bond due 2043 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Unsecured Tax Exempt Debt	$ 22			$ 12
Long-term Debt						$ 34
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities		$ 6