Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Temporary Floor

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	schn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Additional Commitment by Request

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	schn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 20, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=schn_UnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Debt Long-term Debt (Details) - Bank of America NA And Other Lenders	Apr. 06, 2016 CAD	Apr. 06, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2016 CAD	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	CAD 15,000,000	$ 335,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Additional Borrowing Capacity Available		$ 100,000,000
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity				CAD 30,000,000	$ 670,000,000
Long-term Line of Credit					$ 185,000,000	$ 215,000,000
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit			$ 198,000,000
Minimum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.20%
Maximum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.40%
Interest Rate Option 1 \| Minimum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate, Temporary Floor	2.50%
Interest Rate Option 1 \| Minimum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.75%
Interest Rate Option 1 \| Maximum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.75%
Interest Rate Option 2 \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.75%
Interest Rate Option 2 \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| Federal Funds Effective Swap Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.50%
Interest Rate Option 2 \| Minimum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.00%
Interest Rate Option 2 \| Maximum \| Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility \| Subsequent Event \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.00%