Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
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12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
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Comprehensive income |
$ 1,207us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
$ 91us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
$ 881us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
40us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
32us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
43us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc. |
1,167us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax |
59us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax |
838us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax |
Eliminations [Member] |
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Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
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Comprehensive income |
(2,580)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
(645)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
(2,080)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc. |
(2,580)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
(645)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
(2,080)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_ConsolidationEliminationsMember |
WM [Member] |
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Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
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Comprehensive income |
1,300us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
112us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
807us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc. |
1,300us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
112us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
807us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
WM Holdings [Member] |
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Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
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Comprehensive income |
1,510us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
313us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
1,034us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc. |
1,510us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
313us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
1,034us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_GuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] |
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Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
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Comprehensive income |
977us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
311us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
1,120us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
40us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
32us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
43us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
Comprehensive income attributable to Waste Management, Inc. |
$ 937us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
$ 279us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |
$ 1,077us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_NonGuarantorSubsidiariesMember |