Description of Business - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 Customer
Minimum
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	541,000
United States
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of employees	7,933
United States | Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of employees	437
International
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of employees	5,312
International | Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of employees	1,600
Domestic | Processing facilities
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of facilities	59
Domestic | Transfer and Collection Sites
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of sites	91
Domestic | Sales and Administrative Sites
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of sites	12
Domestic | Regulated Recall and Returns Managements Services and Communication Services
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of service facilities	54
International | Processing facilities
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of facilities	94
International | Transfer and Collection Sites
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of sites	50
International | Sales and Administrative Sites
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of sites	41
International | Landfills
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of leased landfills	2
International | Regulated Recall and Returns Management Services
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of service facilities	10