Note 7 - Income Taxes (Details) - Income Tax Reconciliation (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Reconciliation [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes	$ (1,185)	$ 535
Less net loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiary	(178)
Income (loss) before income taxes of Avalon Holdings Corporation common shareholders	(1,007)	535
Federal statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%
	(352)	187
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefits	49	64
Change in valuation allowance	476	(54)
Increase in available federal tax credit	(44)	(47)
Other nondeductible expenses	49	52
Increase in net operating loss carryforward:
State	(122)	(77)
Federal	(9)
Other, net	26	(28)
	$ 73us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 97us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit

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The increase in available federal tax credit for effective income tax reconciling purposes.

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The effective income tax reconciliation for federal operating loss carry forward.

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The net state operating loss carry forward for the effective income tax reconciliation.

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Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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The amount of income tax expense or benefit for the period computed by applying the domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.

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Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to tax exempt income, equity in earnings (loss) of an unconsolidated subsidiary, minority noncontrolling interest income (loss), tax holiday, disposition of a business, disposition of an asset, repatriation of foreign earnings, repatriation of foreign earnings jobs creation act of 2004, increase (decrease) in enacted tax rate, prior year income taxes, increase (decrease) in deferred tax asset valuation allowance, and other adjustments.

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Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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