DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified					12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2011 Lower Limit Customer	Dec. 31, 2010 Restatement Adjustment	Dec. 31, 2011 Domestic Electro Thermal Deactivation System Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 Domestic Autoclave or Incineration Processing Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 Domestic Other Processing Technologies Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 Domestic Transfer and Collection Sites Location	Dec. 31, 2011 Domestic Sales and Administrative Sites Location	Dec. 31, 2011 International Electro Thermal Deactivation System Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 International Autoclave or Incineration Processing Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 International Other Processing Technologies Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 International Transfer and Collection Sites Location	Dec. 31, 2011 International Sales and Administrative Sites Location	Dec. 31, 2011 International Landfill Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 United States Person	Dec. 31, 2011 United States Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements Person	Dec. 31, 2011 International countries Person	Dec. 31, 2011 International countries Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements Person
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of customers throughout the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom					522,000
Number of facilities							2	58	23			3	70	19
Number of sites										111	12				43	24
Number of leased landfills																	2
Number of employees																		6,877	413	4,245	1,140
Short-term investments reclassified to cash and cash equivalents	$ 22,511	$ 79,276	$ 15,767	$ 9,095		$ 2,200
Accrued liabilities reclassified to other current liabilities or current portion of long-term debt	6,377	13,496				16,000
Accounts receivable reclassified to other current assets	$ 35,035	$ 25,403				$ 500