REMEDIAL LIABILITIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 sites		Dec. 31, 2011 sites
Remedial liabilities
Number of Sites	3		4
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 135,320,000		$ 137,613,000
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	42,543,000		100,000
Accretion	5,924,000		6,298,000
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(9,652,000)		(1,438,000)
Expenditures	(7,346,000)		(6,787,000)
Currency translation and other	431,000		(466,000)
Balance at the end of the period	167,220,000		135,320,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
2013	16,446,000
2014	16,348,000
2015	15,501,000
2016	12,456,000
2017	9,334,000
Thereafter	137,442,000
Undiscounted Remedial Liabilities	207,527,000
Less: discount	(40,307,000)
Remedial Liability	167,220,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Threshold For Discloure	5.00%
% of Total	100.00%
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	21,476,000	[1]
Possible Increase in Total Remedial Liabilities	21,500,000
Active Landfill Facilities [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number Of Facility By Type	29
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	81,883,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	49.00%
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	10,932,000	[1]
Inactive Landfill Facilities [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number Of Facility By Type	17
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	71,079,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	42.50%
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	9,118,000	[1]
Superfund Landfill Sites Owned By Third Parties [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number Of Facility By Type	29
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	14,258,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	8.50%
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	1,426,000	[1]
Baton Rouge La [Member] | Closed Incinerator And Landfill [Member]
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	32,176,000	[2]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	19.20%	[2]
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	4,721,000	[1],[2]
Bridgeport NJ [Member] | Closed Incinerator [Member]
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	21,593,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	12.90%
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	2,811,000	[1]
Mercier Quebec [Member] | Idled Incinerator And Legal Proceedings [Member]
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	14,611,000	[2]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	8.70%	[2]
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	1,562,000	[1],[2]
Various [Member] | Superfund Landfill Sites Owned By Third Parties [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number Of Facility By Type	29
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	14,258,000	[2]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	8.50%	[2]
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	1,426,000	[1],[2]
Various [Member] | All Other Incinerators Landfills Wastwater Threatment Facilities And Service Centers [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number Of Facility By Type	43
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	84,582,000	[2]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
% of Total	50.70%	[2]
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	10,956,000	[1],[2]
Legal and Administrative Proceedings
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the end of the period	34,500,000
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Net [Abstract]
Reasonably Possible Additional Liabilities(1)	3,500,000
Benefit Change In Estimates [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number of Sites	2
Remedial Liabilities for Landfill Sites
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the beginning of the period	5,600,000		5,511,000
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	0		0
Accretion	276,000		271,000
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(31,000)		(55,000)
Expenditures	(82,000)		(71,000)
Currency translation and other	66,000		(56,000)
Balance at the end of the period	5,829,000		5,600,000
Remedial Liabilities for Inactive Sites
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the beginning of the period	78,449,000		82,354,000
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	0		0
Accretion	3,456,000		3,780,000
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(5,978,000)		(3,825,000)
Expenditures	(4,851,000)		(3,852,000)
Currency translation and other	3,000		(8,000)
Balance at the end of the period	71,079,000		78,449,000
Remedial Liabilities (Including Superfund) for Non-Landfill Operations
Changes to remedial liabilities
Balance at the beginning of the period	51,271,000		49,748,000
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions	42,543,000		100,000
Accretion	2,192,000		2,247,000
Changes in estimates recorded to statement of income	(3,643,000)		2,442,000
Expenditures	(2,413,000)		(2,864,000)
Currency translation and other	362,000		(402,000)
Balance at the end of the period	$ 90,312,000		$ 51,271,000
Lower Estimated Costs [Member]
Remedial liabilities
Number of Sites			1

[1] Amounts represent the high end of the range of management's best estimate of the reasonably possible additional liabilities.

[2] $34.5 million of the $167.2 million remedial liabilities and $3.5 million of the $21.5 million reasonably possible additional liabilities include estimates of remediation liabilities related to the legal and administrative proceedings discussed in Note 17, "Commitments and Contingencies," as well as other such estimated remedial liabilities.