LONG-LIVED ASSET IMPAIRMENT AND FACILITY CLOSURE COSTS	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
LONG-LIVED ASSET IMPAIRMENT AND FACILITY CLOSURE COSTS	NOTE 8. LONG-LIVED ASSET IMPAIRMENT AND FACILITY CLOSURE COSTS The Company decided to exit its steel trading business and its steel distribution business, each headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, respectively. These operations are included in the Company's International Marketing and Distribution reporting segment. The expenses associated with exiting these businesses were not material in each respective fiscal year and were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. During the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company decided to exit and sell its steel distribution business in Australia which met the definition of a discontinued operation. As a result, this business has been presented as a discontinued operation for all periods presented. During the third quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $15.8 million, including the impact of an approximate $13.5 million accumulated foreign currency translation loss, on its remaining component of the Australian steel distribution business that was classified as held for sale at May 31, 2016. See Note 14, Fair Value, for further discussion of this impairment charge. Other expenses associated with exiting this business were not material for the years ended August 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company made the decision to exit its steel trading business headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. In connection with this decision, severance and other exit costs incurred by the Company were not material and were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. The operation is included in the Company's International Marketing and Distribution reporting segment. The Company evaluates the carrying value of property, plant and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets whenever a change in circumstances indicates that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Based on continued margin and volume pressure in our Americas Recycling segment, which caused the Company to revise its estimate as to the timing of improvement in these metrics, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, management considered a triggering event to have occurred. As a result, the Company reviewed the undiscounted future cash flows for its Americas Recycling long-lived asset groups. The results of the undiscounted future cash flow analyses indicated the carrying amounts for certain long-lived asset groups subject to testing were not expected to be recovered. The Company estimated the fair value for these long-lived asset groups using market and income approaches. The fair value was then compared to the carrying values of the long-lived asset groups. The resulting non-recurring impairment charges of $38.9 million were recorded within the Americas Recycling reporting segment at August 31, 2016.

NOTE 8. LONG-LIVED ASSET IMPAIRMENT AND FACILITY CLOSURE COSTS

The Company decided to exit its steel trading business and its steel distribution business, each headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, respectively. These operations are included in the Company's International Marketing and Distribution reporting segment. The expenses associated with exiting these businesses were not material in each respective fiscal year and were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company decided to exit and sell its steel distribution business in Australia which met the definition of a discontinued operation. As a result, this business has been presented as a discontinued operation for all periods presented. During the third quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $15.8 million, including the impact of an approximate $13.5 million accumulated foreign currency translation loss, on its remaining component of the Australian steel distribution business that was classified as held for sale at May 31, 2016. See Note 14, Fair Value, for further discussion of this impairment charge. Other expenses associated with exiting this business were not material for the years ended August 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company made the decision to exit its steel trading business headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. In connection with this decision, severance and other exit costs incurred by the Company were not material and were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of earnings. The operation is included in the Company's International Marketing and Distribution reporting segment.

The Company evaluates the carrying value of property, plant and equipment and finite-lived intangible assets whenever a change in circumstances indicates that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Based on continued margin and volume pressure in our Americas Recycling segment, which caused the Company to revise its estimate as to the timing of improvement in these metrics, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, management considered a triggering event to have occurred. As a result, the Company reviewed the undiscounted future cash flows for its Americas Recycling long-lived asset groups. The results of the undiscounted future cash flow analyses indicated the carrying amounts for certain long-lived asset groups subject to testing were not expected to be recovered. The Company estimated the fair value for these long-lived asset groups using market and income approaches. The fair value was then compared to the carrying values of the long-lived asset groups. The resulting non-recurring impairment charges of $38.9 million were recorded within the Americas Recycling reporting segment at August 31, 2016.