GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Consolidating statement of income
Service revenues	$ 672,622	$ 534,311
Product revenues	189,541	37,711
Total revenues	862,163	572,022
Service cost of revenues	468,372	369,125
Product cost of revenues	167,652	31,190
Total cost of revenues	636,024	400,315
Selling, general and administrative expenses	128,470	70,759
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,835	2,416
Depreciation and amortization	60,006	36,831
Income from operations	34,828	61,701
Other income (expense)	525	(299)
Interest (expense) income	(19,873)	(11,272)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	15,480	50,130
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	4,978	18,115
Net income	10,502	32,015
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(23,861)	15,180
Comprehensive (loss) income	(13,359)	47,195
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Consolidating statement of income
Service revenues	0	0
Product revenues	0	0
Total revenues	0	0
Service cost of revenues	0	0
Product cost of revenues	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25	80
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Income from operations	(25)	(80)
Other income (expense)	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(19,800)	(10,706)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	30,221	36,465
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	10,010
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	10,396	35,689
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(106)	3,674
Net income	10,502	32,015
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(23,861)	15,180
Comprehensive (loss) income	(13,359)	47,195
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Service revenues	399,235	269,395
Product revenues	160,863	22,142
Total revenues	560,098	291,537
Service cost of revenues	274,172	182,730
Product cost of revenues	143,641	18,470
Total cost of revenues	417,813	201,200
Selling, general and administrative expenses	95,561	44,912
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,400	2,096
Depreciation and amortization	37,289	16,636
Income from operations	7,035	26,693
Other income (expense)	720	(450)
Interest (expense) income	0	(201)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	21,413	25,996
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	10,338	10,345
Income before provision for income taxes	39,506	62,383
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(474)	5,722
Net income	39,980	56,661
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(23,861)	15,180
Comprehensive (loss) income	16,119	71,841
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Service revenues	281,419	269,814
Product revenues	30,942	15,915
Total revenues	312,361	285,729
Service cost of revenues	202,232	191,293
Product cost of revenues	26,275	13,066
Total cost of revenues	228,507	204,359
Selling, general and administrative expenses	32,884	25,767
Accretion of environmental liabilities	435	320
Depreciation and amortization	22,717	20,195
Income from operations	27,818	35,088
Other income (expense)	(195)	151
Interest (expense) income	(73)	(365)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	3,645	3,526
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(10,338)	(10,345)
Income before provision for income taxes	20,857	28,055
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	5,558	8,719
Net income	15,299	19,336
Other comprehensive income (loss)	11,772	6,284
Comprehensive (loss) income	27,071	25,620
Consolidating Adjustments
Consolidating statement of income
Service revenues	(8,032)	(4,898)
Product revenues	(2,264)	(346)
Total revenues	(10,296)	(5,244)
Service cost of revenues	(8,032)	(4,898)
Product cost of revenues	(2,264)	(346)
Total cost of revenues	(10,296)	(5,244)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Income from operations	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0
Interest (expense) income	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(51,634)	(62,461)
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	(3,645)	(13,536)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(55,279)	(75,997)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0
Net income	(55,279)	(75,997)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	12,089	(21,464)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$ (43,190)	$ (97,461)