SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Bad debt expense	$ 7,079,000	$ 7,524,000	$ 6,866,000
Debt instruments, fair value	1,410,000,000
Debt instruments, carrying amount	$ 1,380,000,000
Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of account receivable from a single customer	2.00%
Customer relationships
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, minimum	14
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, maximum	40
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, Weighted average	29.5
Covenants not-to-compete
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, minimum	2
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, maximum	10
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, Weighted average	5.4
Tradenames
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, minimum	15
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, maximum	40
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, Weighted average	20.6
Regulated Waste Customer Relationships
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, minimum	14
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, maximum	40
Containers
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite lived intangible assets useful life, Weighted average	12.5