CLOSURE AND POST-CLOSURE LIABILITIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Expected Payments Related to Asset Retirement Obligations [Table Text Block]

Anticipated payments (based on current estimated costs and anticipated timing of necessary regulatory approvals to commence work on closure and post-closure activities) for each of the next five years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):

Year ending December 31,
2012	$	4,371
2013	6,090
2014	6,251
2015	7,264
2016	5,800
Thereafter	223,960
Undiscounted closure and post-closure liabilities	253,736
Less: Reserves to be provided (including discount of $131.5 million) over remaining site lives	(218,855		)
Present value of closure and post-closure liabilities	$	34,881

Schedule of closure and post-closure liabilities

The changes to closure and post-closure liabilities (also referred to as "asset retirement obligations"), from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	Landfill Retirement Liability			Non-Landfill Retirement Liability			Total
Balance at January 1, 2010	$	28,070		$	7,740		$	35,810
New asset retirement obligations	1,873			—			1,873
Accretion	2,746			1,054			3,800
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(89		)	(49		)	(138		)
Other changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	6			379			385
Expenditures	(2,962		)	(225		)	(3,187		)
Currency translation and other	112			24			136
Balance at December 31, 2010	29,756			8,923			38,679
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	—			202			202
New asset retirement obligations	2,469			—			2,469
Accretion	2,255			1,126			3,381
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(822		)	(580		)	(1,402		)
Other changes in estimates recorded to balance sheet	(4,232		)	292			(3,940		)
Expenditures	(3,597		)	(935		)	(4,532		)
Currency translation and other	(65		)	89			24
Balance at December 31, 2011	$	25,764		$	9,117		$	34,881