SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Narrative) (Details)				12 Months Ended
	Nov. 06, 2015 USD ($)	May. 19, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($) a	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) tranche	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 04, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 05, 2015 USD ($)	May. 18, 2015 a	Oct. 15, 2013 USD ($)
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, current (Note 15)				$ 0	$ 1,183,000
Inventory write-down				1,283,000	1,911,000
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Allowance for doubtful accounts				35,000	100,000
Accounts receivable, net				1,669,000	8,947,000
Factoring Fees
Banking expenses				242,400	72,900
Advertising Expense
Advertising expense				2,400	500
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment				320,000	74,000
Impairment loss, property and equipment				637,000	0
Long-term Debt				$ 20,000	15,911,000
North American Stainless [Member]
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts receivable, net					1,000,000
Recycling [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, current (Note 15)					$ 398,000
Recycling [Member] | North American Stainless [Member] | Sales Revenue, Segment [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Major customer percentage					34.30%
Minimum [Member]
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts receivable, past due period				30 days
Maximum [Member]
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts receivable, past due period				60 days
Affiliated Entity, LK Property Investments, LLC [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Area of Real Estate Property | a			4.4
Advertising Expense
Sale Leaseback Transaction, Gross Proceeds, Financing Activities			$ 1,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment			$ 102,000
Algar, Inc. [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Share-based Payment Award, Number of Tranches Subject to Performance Condition Evaluation | tranche				2
Auto Shredder and Downstream Processing System [Member]
Advertising Expense
Impairment loss, property and equipment				$ 636,600
Real Estate Sale [Member] | Affiliated Entity, SG&D Ventures, LLC [Member] | Subsidiaries [Member]
Advertising Expense
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment		$ 1,100
Area of Real Estate Property | a								1
Sale of Real Estate, Consideration Received		350,000
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		300,000
Noncash or Part Noncash Divestiture, Amount of Consideration Received		$ 50,000
Revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo. See above description for additional details. | Forbearance Agreement [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Interest rate increase	1.00%
Advertising Expense
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 5,000,000						$ 15,000,000
Waste Services Segment [Member]
Advertising Expense
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment				51,000	$ 34,000
Consideration at closing				7,500,000
Amount retained by purchaser				150,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Revolving Credit Conversion to Term Loan [Member] | WESSCO Line of Credit Note [Member] | Affiliated Entity [Member]
Advertising Expense
Maximum borrowing capacity									$ 1,000,000
Long-term Debt				$ 0	$ 600,000	$ 5,000,000
Ferrous Material [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Average Selling Price, Percent				(49.40%)
Non Ferrous Material [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Average Selling Price, Percent				(24.90%)