GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Service revenues	$ 584,562	$ 801,347	$ 1,114,793	$ 1,397,677
Product revenues	112,948	134,881	218,800	271,050
Total revenues	697,510	936,228	1,333,593	1,668,727
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	388,684	544,870	762,670	961,260
Product cost of revenues	91,318	107,818	181,611	237,935
Total cost of revenues	480,002	652,688	944,281	1,199,195
Selling, general and administrative expenses	107,063	120,418	211,547	228,133
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,548	2,599	5,053	5,218
Depreciation and amortization	73,393	67,773	142,295	136,129
Goodwill impairment charge	0	31,992	0	31,992
Income (loss) from operations	34,504	60,758	30,417	68,060
Other income (expense)	(189)	(660)	(539)	(251)
Interest (expense) income	(21,647)	(19,249)	(40,627)	(38,687)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	12,668	40,849	(10,749)	29,122
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	8,702	30,454	6,156	25,816
Net income (loss)	3,966	10,395	(16,905)	3,306
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,178)	12,231	44,659	(65,172)
Comprehensive income (loss)	2,788	22,626	27,754	(61,866)
Reportable Legal Entities | Clean Harbors, Inc.
Revenues:
Service revenues	0	0	0	0
Product revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	(587)	0	(587)	0
Product cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	(587)	0	(587)	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	37	25	61	50
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge		0		0
Income (loss) from operations	550	(25)	526	(50)
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(22,962)	(19,652)	(43,105)	(39,291)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	17,413	22,201	8,642	26,910
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(4,999)	2,524	(33,937)	(12,431)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(8,965)	(7,871)	(17,032)	(15,737)
Net income (loss)	3,966	10,395	(16,905)	3,306
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,178)	12,231	44,659	(65,172)
Comprehensive income (loss)	2,788	22,626	27,754	(61,866)
Reportable Legal Entities | U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	456,013	628,408	884,490	1,046,925
Product revenues	95,648	115,335	185,236	231,871
Total revenues	551,661	743,743	1,069,726	1,278,796
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	292,343	415,111	575,307	692,713
Product cost of revenues	79,108	98,258	158,462	213,544
Total cost of revenues	371,451	513,369	733,769	906,257
Selling, general and administrative expenses	83,882	93,677	164,537	174,661
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,313	2,287	4,603	4,593
Depreciation and amortization	50,696	44,602	99,391	90,403
Goodwill impairment charge		4,164		4,164
Income (loss) from operations	43,319	85,644	67,426	98,718
Other income (expense)	400	168	312	279
Interest (expense) income	1,284	324	2,395	502
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(9,195)	(29,550)	(35,690)	(36,579)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	5,497	6,036	10,656	12,013
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	41,305	62,622	45,099	74,933
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	23,892	40,421	36,457	48,023
Net income (loss)	17,413	22,201	8,642	26,910
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,178)	12,231	44,659	(65,172)
Comprehensive income (loss)	16,235	34,432	53,301	(38,262)
Reportable Legal Entities | Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	139,413	190,657	253,436	384,110
Product revenues	19,391	22,444	38,104	45,648
Total revenues	158,804	213,101	291,540	429,758
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	107,792	147,477	211,083	301,905
Product cost of revenues	14,301	12,458	27,689	30,860
Total cost of revenues	122,093	159,935	238,772	332,765
Selling, general and administrative expenses	23,144	26,716	46,949	53,422
Accretion of environmental liabilities	235	312	450	625
Depreciation and amortization	22,697	23,171	42,904	45,726
Goodwill impairment charge		27,828		27,828
Income (loss) from operations	(9,365)	(24,861)	(37,535)	(30,608)
Other income (expense)	(589)	(828)	(851)	(530)
Interest (expense) income	31	79	83	102
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(5,497)	(6,036)	(10,656)	(12,013)
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(15,420)	(31,646)	(48,959)	(43,049)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(6,225)	(2,096)	(13,269)	(6,470)
Net income (loss)	(9,195)	(29,550)	(35,690)	(36,579)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(597)	8,061	28,330	(42,574)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(9,792)	(21,489)	(7,360)	(79,153)
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues:
Service revenues	(10,864)	(17,718)	(23,133)	(33,358)
Product revenues	(2,091)	(2,898)	(4,540)	(6,469)
Total revenues	(12,955)	(20,616)	(27,673)	(39,827)
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	(10,864)	(17,718)	(23,133)	(33,358)
Product cost of revenues	(2,091)	(2,898)	(4,540)	(6,469)
Total cost of revenues	(12,955)	(20,616)	(27,673)	(39,827)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge		0		0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(8,218)	7,349	27,048	9,669
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(8,218)	7,349	27,048	9,669
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(8,218)	7,349	27,048	9,669
Other comprehensive (loss) income	1,775	(20,292)	(72,989)	107,746
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (6,443)	$ (12,943)	$ (45,941)	$ 117,415