Note 5 - Long-term Incentive Plan (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Block One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Block One [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Block Two [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Block Two [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Block Three [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Block Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Block Four [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Block Four [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Block Five [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Block Five [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long-term Incentive Plan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Minimum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Weighted Average [Member]
Note 5 - Long-term Incentive Plan (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized (in Shares)																1,300,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number (in Shares)	760,000		760,000		760,000											760,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period																5 years
Share Based Payment Award Term																10 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period						2 years 197 days		3 years 197 days		4 years 197 days		5 years 197 days		6 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term						6 years 98 days		6 years 281 days		7 years 98 days		7 years 281 days		8 years 98 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate																	60.90%	61.70%	61.20%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate																	2.06%	2.28%
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense (in Dollars)	$ 26,000	$ 27,000	$ 53,000	$ 180,000
Predetermined Vesting Price (in Dollars per share)						$ 3.43	$ 3.43	$ 4.69	$ 4.69		$ 6.43		$ 8.81		$ 12.07
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)	$ 200,000		$ 200,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition			2 years 178 days