Waste Management 2011 Annual Report Download - page 134

improving the utilization of airspace through efforts that include recirculating landfill leachate where
allowed by permit; optimizing the placement of daily cover materials; and increasing initial compaction
through improved landfill equipment, operations and training.
The tons received at our landfills in 2011 and 2010 are shown below (tons in thousands):
2011 2010
#of
Sites
Total
Tons
Tons
per Day
#of
Sites
Total
Tons
Tons
per Day
Solid waste landfills .................... 266(a) 91,130 334 266 91,863 336
Hazardous waste landfills ................ 5 599 2 5 667 2
271 91,729 336 271 92,530 338
Solid waste landfills closed or divested
during related year ................... 1 49 3 295
91,778(b) 92,825(b)
(a) In 2011, we developed one landfill and closed one landfill.
(b) These amounts include 1.4 million tons at December 31, 2011 and 1.7 million tons at December 31, 2010
that were received at our landfills but were used for beneficial purposes and generally were redirected from
the permitted airspace to other areas of the landfill. Waste types that are frequently identified for beneficial
use include green waste for composting and clean dirt for on-site construction projects.
When a landfill we own or operate receives certification of closure from the applicable regulatory agency,
we generally transfer the management of the site, including any remediation activities, to our closed sites
management group. As of December 31, 2011, our closed sites management group managed 207 closed landfills.
Landfill Assets — We capitalize various costs that we incur to prepare a landfill to accept waste. These costs
generally include expenditures for land (including the landfill footprint and required landfill buffer property),
permitting, excavation, liner material and installation, landfill leachate collection systems, landfill gas collection
systems, environmental monitoring equipment for groundwater and landfill gas, directly related engineering,
capitalized interest, and on-site road construction and other capital infrastructure costs. The cost basis of our
landfill assets also includes estimates of future costs associated with landfill final capping, closure and post-
closure activities, which are discussed further below.
The following table reflects the total cost basis of our landfill assets and accumulated landfill airspace amortization
as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, and summarizes significant changes in these amounts during 2011 (in millions):
Cost Basis of
Landfill Assets
Accumulated
Landfill Airspace
Amortization Landfill Assets
December 31, 2010 ............................. $12,777 $(6,792) $5,985
Capital additions ............................... 398 — 398
Asset retirement obligations incurred and capitalized . . 49 — 49
Acquisitions .................................. — — —
Amortization of landfill airspace .................. — (378) (378)
Foreign currency translation ...................... (32) 8 (24)
Asset retirements and other adjustments ............ (252) 231 (21)
December 31, 2011 ............................. $12,940 $(6,931) $6,009
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