CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income (loss) applicable to Ecosphere Technologies, Inc. common stock	$ 870,646	$ (5,660,183)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Preferred stock dividends	51,438	51,500
Depreciation and amortization	1,101,170	1,062,142
Accretion of discount on notes payable	115,178	118,607
Loss on conversion of debt and accrued interest to common stock		93,762
Stock-based compensation expense	895,672	3,753,097
Stock options issued for services		97,450
Noncontrolling interest in income of consolidated subsidiary	744,631	313,798
Loss from change in fair value of warrant derivative liability	85,995	23,888
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Increase in accounts receivable	(2,849,765)	(53,553)
Decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	46,517	45,840
Increase in inventory	(38,989)	(3,684,795)
Decrease (increase) in deposits	563	(5,440)
Increase in restricted cash	(378,809)	(323,125)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	31,493	(591,780)
Decrease in accrued liabilities	(221,593)	(240,083)
Increase in billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts	188,679
Decrease in restructuring reserve	(24,925)	(35,585)
Increase in customer deposits	100,000	4,300,000
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	717,901	(734,460)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of property and equipment	(47,845)	(539,207)
Transfer to restricted cash	(25,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(72,845)	(539,207)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes payable and warrants		1,575,000
Proceeds from warrant and option exercises	249,299	604,164
Proceeds from warrant modifications	107,400
Proceeds from equipment financing		189,504
Distributions from EES subsidiary to noncontrolling members	(908,551)
Repayments of notes payable and insurance financing	(109,862)	(83,191)
Repayments of notes payable to related parties		(611,807)
Repayments of vehicle and equipment financing	(49,139)	(6,937)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(710,853)	1,666,733
Net (decrease) increase in cash	(65,797)	393,066
Cash at beginning of year	2,043,593	46,387
Cash at end of period	1,977,796	439,453
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Interest	6,717	124,835
Income taxes
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
Preferred stock dividends	51,438	51,500
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock	2,500
Conversion of convertible notes to common stock	723,216
Conversion of related party interest to note principal		49,089
Discount related to warrants issued with convertible debt		415,751
Cashless exercise of options and warrants	3,706
Reduction of derivative liability for warrant derivative instruments from warrant exercises and modifications	106,224	27,040
Insurance premium finance contract recorded as prepaid asset	171,929	151,052
Common stock issued as settlement of note and accrued interest		$ 66,328