GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Financial Information [Abstract]
Guarantor, ownership interest by Clean Harbors, Inc.	100.00%
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 306,997	$ 184,708	$ 246,879	$ 310,073
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	496,226	496,004
Other current assets	289,648	240,484
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,611,827	1,532,467
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	465,154	453,105	452,669
Permits and other intangibles, net	498,721	506,818
Other long-term assets	13,347	17,842
Total assets	3,681,920	3,431,428	3,689,423
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current liabilities	504,668	517,120
Intercompany payables	0	0
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	166,322	167,846
Long-term obligations	1,633,272	1,382,543
Capital lease obligations, net	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	293,417	267,637
Total liabilities	2,597,679	2,335,146
Stockholders' equity	1,084,241	1,096,282	1,262,871	1,475,639
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,681,920	3,431,428
Reportable Legal Entities | Clean Harbors, Inc.
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	51,417	11,017	1,006	1,006
Intercompany receivables	200,337	164,709
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	3,096	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	2,851,571	2,547,307
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	2,446	1,068
Total assets	3,108,867	2,724,101
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current liabilities	21,805	20,813
Intercompany payables	365,848	220,762
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	1,633,272	1,382,543
Capital lease obligations, net	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	3,701	3,701
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	2,024,626	1,627,819
Stockholders' equity	1,084,241	1,096,282
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,108,867	2,724,101
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	155,943	83,479	154,147	235,505
Intercompany receivables	354,836	213,243
Accounts receivable, net	417,029	404,580
Other current assets	234,408	179,969
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,211,210	1,082,466
Investments in subsidiaries	580,124	522,067
Intercompany debt receivable	86,409	260,957
Goodwill	412,638	367,306
Permits and other intangibles, net	435,594	435,080
Other long-term assets	7,582	10,274
Total assets	3,895,773	3,559,421
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current liabilities	366,831	424,588
Intercompany payables	237,058	195,287
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	150,682	153,190
Long-term obligations	0	0
Capital lease obligations, net	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	21,000	0
Other long-term liabilities	275,649	239,049
Total liabilities	1,051,220	1,012,114
Stockholders' equity	2,844,553	2,547,307
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,895,773	3,559,421
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	99,637	90,212	91,726	73,562
Intercompany receivables	49,055	39,804
Accounts receivable, net	79,197	91,424
Other current assets	69,257	60,515
Property, plant and equipment, net	400,617	450,001
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	24,701	3,701
Goodwill	52,516	85,799
Permits and other intangibles, net	63,127	71,738
Other long-term assets	4,387	6,500
Total assets	842,494	899,694
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current liabilities	133,145	71,719
Intercompany payables	1,322	1,707
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	15,640	14,656
Long-term obligations	0	0
Capital lease obligations, net	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	86,409	260,957
Other long-term liabilities	18,836	28,588
Total liabilities	255,352	377,627
Stockholders' equity	587,142	522,067
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	842,494	899,694
Consolidating Adjustments
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Intercompany receivables	(604,228)	(417,756)
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	(17,113)	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,431,695)	(3,069,374)
Intercompany debt receivable	(111,110)	(264,658)
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	(1,068)	0
Total assets	(4,165,214)	(3,751,788)
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current liabilities	(17,113)	0
Intercompany payables	(604,228)	(417,756)
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	0	0
Capital lease obligations, net	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	(111,110)	(264,658)
Other long-term liabilities	(1,068)	0
Total liabilities	(733,519)	(682,414)
Stockholders' equity	(3,431,695)	(3,069,374)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (4,165,214)	$ (3,751,788)