GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	$ 572,022	$ 434,962
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	400,315	312,577
Selling, general and administrative expenses	70,759	54,794
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,416	2,389
Depreciation and amortization	36,831	25,460
Income from operations	61,701	39,742
Other (expense) income	(299)	2,899
Interest (expense) income	(11,272)	(6,478)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	50,130	36,163
Provision for income taxes	18,115	13,433
Net income	32,015	22,730
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	0	0
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	80	42
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Income from operations	(80)	(42)
Other (expense) income	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(10,706)	(6,676)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	36,465	33,331
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	10,010	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	35,689	26,613
Provision for income taxes	3,674	3,883
Net income	32,015	22,730
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	291,537	248,367
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	201,200	175,438
Selling, general and administrative expenses	44,912	36,111
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,096	2,087
Depreciation and amortization	16,636	12,998
Income from operations	26,693	21,733
Other (expense) income	(450)	3,336
Interest (expense) income	(201)	168
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	25,996	7,301
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	10,345	8,730
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	62,383	41,268
Provision for income taxes	5,722	6,327
Net income	56,661	34,941
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	285,729	192,788
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	204,359	143,332
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25,767	18,641
Accretion of environmental liabilities	320	302
Depreciation and amortization	20,195	12,462
Income from operations	35,088	18,051
Other (expense) income	151	(437)
Interest (expense) income	(365)	30
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	3,526	3,456
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(10,345)	(8,730)
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	28,055	12,370
Provision for income taxes	8,719	3,223
Net income	19,336	9,147
Consolidating Adjustments
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	(5,244)	(6,193)
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	(5,244)	(6,193)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Income from operations	0	0
Other (expense) income	0	0
Interest (expense) income	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(62,461)	(40,632)
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	(13,536)	(3,456)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	(75,997)	(44,088)
Provision for income taxes	0	0
Net income	$ (75,997)	$ (44,088)