Note 9 - Long-term Incentive Plan (Details Textual) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Common Class A [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	1,300,000
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period	2 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	6 years 98 days
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period	3 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	6 years 281 days
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Three [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period	4 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	7 years 98 days
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Share-Based Compensation Award Tranche Four [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period	5 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	7 years 281 days
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Share-Based Compensation Award Tranche Five [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Requisite Service Period	6 years 197 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	8 years 98 days
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	60.90%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Minimum	2.06%
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member \| Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	61.70%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Minimum	2.28%
Avalon Holdings Corporation 2009 Long Term Incentive Plan Member
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate	0.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	1,300,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	10 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number	760,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	5 years
Number Of Years After Options Vested, Stock Price Reach Predetermined Vesting Price	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	61.20%
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 56,000	$ 80,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 39,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 14 days
Ten Percent Sholders [Member]
Minimum Percentage of Fair Market Value for Incentive Stock Option Price	110.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	10 years
Other Employees [Member]
Minimum Percentage of Fair Market Value for Incentive Stock Option Price	100.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	5 years
Minimum Percentage of Grant Date Fair Market Value for Exercise Price	100.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number	760,000	760,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	5 years

The minimum percentage of fair market value for incentive stock options.

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The minimum percentage of grant date fair market value for exercise price.

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The number of years after options vested that the predetermined vesting price must be reached.

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Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Estimated period over which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the equity-based payment award, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

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The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

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The minimum risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

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The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

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Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options.

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Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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