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REMEDIAL LIABILITIES
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]  
REMEDIAL LIABILITIES
REMEDIAL LIABILITIES 
The changes to remedial liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 were as follows (in thousands):
 
Remedial
Liabilities for
Landfill Sites
 
Remedial
Liabilities for
Inactive Sites
 
Remedial
Liabilities
(Including
Superfund) for
Non-Landfill
Operations
 
Total
Balance at January 1, 2015
$
5,420

 
$
68,528

 
$
81,173

 
$
155,121

Accretion
187

 
2,185

 
1,969

 
4,341

Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income
(2,547
)
 
(250
)
 
584

 
(2,213
)
Expenditures
(110
)
 
(3,283
)
 
(7,631
)
 
(11,024
)
Currency translation and other
(335
)
 
(99
)
 
(2,476
)
 
(2,910
)
Balance at September 30, 2015
$
2,615

 
$
67,081

 
$
73,619

 
$
143,315


During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company reduced its remedial liabilities for landfill sites by $2.5 million due to a change in estimate of the related liability. This change in estimate was triggered primarily as a result of the Company's receiving Provincial approval for a planned expansion of one its landfills in Canada. The planned expansion project will remediate the Company's previously recognized corrective actions.