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

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. 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 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: 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 3: 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

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. 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=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ 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:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

Tax-Exempt Bonds (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Tax-Exempt Bonds (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 01, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Offering Expense	$ 21	$ 6	$ 11
Long-term Debt	2,349	2,252
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	10	9
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]
Long-term Debt					$ 34
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	$ 6