Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Equity [Abstract]

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, which is included as a component of Waste Management, Inc. stockholders’ equity, are as follows (in millions, with amounts in parentheses representing decreases to accumulated other comprehensive income):

	Derivative Instruments			Available- for-Sale Securities			Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Post- Retirement Benefit Plans			Total
Balance, December 31, 2012	$	(74	)	$	4		$	276		$	(13	)	$	193
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $9, $1, $0 and $10, respectively		14			2			(68	)		15			(37	)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(1), $0, $0 and $0, respectively		(2	)		—			—			—			(2	)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		12			2			(68	)		15			(39	)
Balance, December 31, 2013	$	(62	)	$	6		$	208		$	2		$	154
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $4, $2, $0 and $(8), respectively		6			4			(107	)		(11	)		(108	)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(3), $0, $0 and $0, respectively		(5	)		—			(17	)		(1	)		(23	)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		1			4			(124	)		(12	)		(131	)
Balance, December 31, 2014	$	(61	)	$	10		$	84		$	(10	)	$	23
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $20, $(1), $0 and $1, respectively		30			(2	)		(164	)		2			(134	)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(14), $0, $0 and $0, respectively		(21	)		—			5			—			(16	)
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		9			(2	)		(159	)		2			(150	)
Balance, December 31, 2015	$	(52	)	$	8		$	(75	)	$	(8	)	$	(127	)

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Before Reclassifications Associated with the Effective Portion of Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges

The amounts of other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications associated with the effective portion of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are as follows (in millions):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Forward-starting interest rate swaps	$	—		$	(8	)	$	14
Foreign currency derivatives		50			23			17
Electricity commodity derivatives		—			(5	)		(8	)
Total before tax		50			10			23
Tax (expense) benefit		(20	)		(4	)		(9	)
Net of tax	$	30		$	6		$	14

Reclassification of Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The significant amounts reclassified out of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income are as follows (in millions, with amounts in parentheses representing debits to the statement of operations classification):

	Years Ended December 31,									Statement of Operations Classification
	2015			2014			2013
Gains and losses on cash flow hedges:
Forward-starting interest rate swaps	$	(12	)	$	(10	)	$	(7	)	Interest expense, net
Treasury rate locks		(4	)		(1	)		(2	)	Interest expense, net
Foreign currency derivatives		51			27			21		Other, net
Electricity commodity derivatives		—			(8	)		(9	)	Operating revenues
		35			8			3		Total before tax
		(14	)		(3	)		(1	)	Tax (expense) benefit
Total reclassifications for the period	$	21		$	5		$	2		Net of tax