Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs

Net periodic pension cost for U.S. and international pension plans for 2012, 2011 and 2010 is as follows:

	U.S. Plans									International Plans
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2010			2012			2011			2010
Defined benefit plans:
Service cost	$	1,887		$	1,557		$	2,086		$	3,418		$	4,350		$	4,052
Interest cost	12,780			13,468			14,049			46,174			48,768			47,558
Expected return on plan assets	(15,617		)	(16,480		)	(16,632		)	(45,050		)	(52,735		)	(46,079		)
Recognized prior service costs	224			245			339			397			424			327
Recognized losses	4,637			2,982			2,537			15,194			11,332			12,077
Amortization of transition liability	—			—			—			8			43			45
Settlement/curtailment loss (gain)	1,510			—			179			(2,589		)	183			(210		)
Defined benefit plans pension cost	5,421			1,772			2,558			17,552			12,365			17,770
Multiemployer plans	10,186			13,264			10,924			5,539			6,547			6,396
Defined contribution plans	5,066			5,434			5,918			12,770			14,157			13,298
Net periodic pension cost	$	20,673		$	20,470		$	19,400		$	35,861		$	33,069		$	37,464

Schedule of Net Funded Status

The change in the financial status of the pension plans and amounts recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2012 and 2011 are as follows:

	U.S. Plans						International Plans
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2012			2011
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	298,769		$	264,969		$	968,218		$	883,342
Service cost	1,887			1,557			3,418			4,350
Interest cost	12,780			13,468			46,174			48,768
Plan participants' contributions	—			—			830			986
Amendments	—			—			60			598
Actuarial loss	27,803			40,730			65,379			79,474
Settlements/curtailments	(3,029		)	—			(9,506		)	(1,886		)
Benefits paid	(21,762		)	(21,955		)	(44,968		)	(37,653		)
Effect of foreign currency	—			—			39,181			(10,332		)
Other	—			—			(36		)	571
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	316,448		$	298,769		$	1,068,750		$	968,218
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	209,237		$	221,673		$	714,163		$	708,025
Actual return on plan assets	27,429			6,464			58,194			19,488
Employer contributions	6,254			3,055			29,713			29,300
Plan participants' contributions	—			—			830			986
Settlements/curtailments	(3,074		)	—			(3,885		)	(1,127		)
Benefits paid	(21,762		)	(21,955		)	(43,954		)	(36,631		)
Effect of foreign currency	—			—			27,998			(6,449		)
Other	—			—			—			571
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	218,084		$	209,237		$	783,059		$	714,163
Funded status at end of year	$	(98,364	)	$	(89,532	)	$	(285,691	)	$	(254,055	)

Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet

Amounts recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of the following at December 31, 2012 and 2011:

	U.S. Plans						International Plans
(In thousands)	December 31 2012			December 31 2011			December 31 2012			December 31 2011
Noncurrent assets	$	490		$	397		$	5,892		$	4,372
Current liabilities	(2,531		)	(2,076		)	(1,048		)	(1,011		)
Noncurrent liabilities	(96,323		)	(87,853		)	(290,535		)	(257,416		)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss before tax	159,094			149,429			469,949			417,406

Schedule of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Not yet Recognized

Amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss, before tax, consist of the following at December 31, 2012 and 2011:

	U.S. Plans				International Plans
(In thousands)	2012		2011		2012		2011
Net actuarial loss	$	158,579	$	148,690	$	467,438	$	414,203
Prior service cost	515		739		2,511		3,105
Transition obligation	—		—		—		98
Total	$	159,094	$	149,429	$	469,949	$	417,406

Schedule of Amounts in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) to be Recognized over Next Fiscal Year

The estimated amounts that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into defined benefit net periodic pension cost in 2013 are as follows:

(In thousands)	U.S. Plans		International  Plans
Net actuarial loss	$	5,052	$	17,180
Prior service cost	143		367
Total	$	5,195	$	17,547

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments

The expected benefit payments for defined benefit plans over the next 10 years are as follows:

(In millions)	2013		2014		2015		2016		2017		2018-2022
U.S. Plans	$	19.7	$	18.7	$	18.5	$	18.8	$	18.5	$	92.7
International Plans	46.1		47.6		49.5		51.6		54.1		296.1

Schedule of Assumptions Used

The weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the net periodic pension cost for 2012, 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

	U.S. Plans December 31						International Plans December 31						Global Weighted-Average December 31
	2012		2011		2010		2012		2011		2010		2012		2011		2010
Discount rates	4.4	%	5.3	%	5.9	%	4.8	%	5.5	%	5.7	%	4.7	%	5.4	%	5.8	%
Expected long-term rates of return on plan assets	7.8	%	7.8	%	8.0	%	6.7	%	7.4	%	7.4	%	6.9	%	7.5	%	7.5	%
Rates of compensation increase	3.0	%	3.0	%	3.0	%	3.4	%	3.3	%	3.6	%	3.4	%	3.3	%	3.6	%

Schedule of Assumptions, Used in Determining Defined Benefit Pension Plan Obligation

The weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the defined benefit pension plan obligations at December 31, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

	U.S. Plans				International Plans				Global Weighted-Average
	December 31				December 31				December 31
	2012		2011		2012		2011		2012		2011
Discount rates	3.8	%	4.4	%	4.3	%	4.8	%	4.2	%	4.7	%
Rates of compensation increase	3.0	%	3.0	%	2.8	%	3.4	%	2.8	%	3.4	%

Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was as follows:

	U.S. Plans				International Plans
	December 31				December 31
(In millions)	2012		2011		2012		2011
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	316.4	$	298.6	$	1,055.7	$	952.8

Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Fair Value of Plan Assets

The projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets at December 31, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

	U.S. Plans				International Plans
(In millions)	December 31 2012		December 31 2011		December 31 2012		December 31 2011
Projected benefit obligation	$	306.5	$	288.7	$	1,040.4	$	929.1
Accumulated benefit obligation	306.5		288.7		1,029.4		921.0
Fair value of plan assets	207.7		198.8		749.6		673.9

Schedule of Effect of Significant Unobservable Inputs, Changes in Plan Assets

The following table summarizes changes in the fair value of Level 3 assets for 2011 and 2012:

Level 3 Asset Changes for the Twelve Months Ended December 31
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2010
Real Estate Limited Partnership:
Balance at beginning of year	$	12,025		$	10,184		$	10,994
Contributions to partnership	2,535			5,697			2,344
Cash distributions received	(1,270		)	(333		)	(636		)
Actual return on plan assets:
Related to asset still held at end of year	4,456			(3,523		)	(2,518		)
Balance at end of year	$	17,746		$	12,025		$	10,184

Schedule of Multiemployer Plans

(In thousands)
		Pension Protection Act Zone Status For Plan Years Ended
				Contributions By The Company For Plan Years Ended (b)								Expiration Date of Collective- Bargaining Agreement
										Subject to Financial Improvement Plan
	Identification Number										Surcharge Imposed
Pension Fund		2011	2010	2012		2011		2010
Significant multiemployer plans for which plan financial information is publicly available outside the Company's financial statements:
Cumberland MD Vicinity Building Construction Employees Trust Fund	52-6061646	Green	Green	$	472	$	477	$	556	No	No	2013
Greater Pennsylvania Carpenters' Pension Fund	25-6135570	Green	Yellow	1,176		1,542		1,412		Yes	No	2014
Ohio Carpenters' Pension Plan	34-6574360	Green	Green	768		953		777		Yes	No	2013
Significant multiemployer plans for which plan financial information is not publicly available outside the Company's financial statements:
New Zealand Steel Pension Fund	018-054-531	N/A	N/A	909		891		810		Yes	No	2013
Summary aggregate information for multiemployer plans which are not individually significant:
All other multiemployer plans				12,489		16,418		13,602
Total Contributions (a)				$	15,814	$	20,281	$	17,157

(a) Contributions to multiemployer pension plans in 2010 do not include $8.3 million of plan withdrawal costs triggered as the Company has ceased, or expects to cease, contributing to ten multiemployer plans for certain locations as part of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment's restructuring initiatives. These restructuring initiatives are described in Note 18, Restructuring Programs. The $8.3 million of costs is included in the Other expenses line of the Consolidated Statements of Operations, as described in Note 16, Other Expenses.

(b) These amounts represent either contributions for the plan year as confirmed by plan sponsors or the Company's estimates based on its fiscal year accounts payable records which will be updated as confirmation is received from plan sponsors.

U.S. Plans

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets

The asset allocations attributable to the Company's U.S. defined benefit pension plans at December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the long-term target allocation of plan assets, by asset category, are as follows:

U.S. Plans	Target Long-Term Allocation	Percentage of Plan Assets at December 31
Asset Category		2012		2011
Domestic equity securities	34%-44%	38.0	%	38.0	%
International equity securities	14%-24%	19.7	%	18.0	%
Fixed income securities	27%-37%	30.5	%	32.8	%
Cash and cash equivalents	Less than 5%	2.3	%	1.9	%
Other	5%-15%	9.5	%	9.3	%

Schedule of Fair Value of Plan Assets by Measurement Levels

The fair values of the Company's U.S. pension plans' assets at December 31, 2012 by asset class are as follows:

(In thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Domestic equities:
Common stocks	$	42,142	$	42,142	$	—	$	—
Mutual funds—equities	40,727		11,110		29,617		—
International equities—mutual funds	42,962		37,651		5,311		—
Fixed income investments:
U.S. Treasuries and collateralized securities	22,625		—		22,625		—
Corporate bonds and notes	7,539		7,539		—		—
Mutual funds—bonds	36,447		36,447		—		—
Other—mutual funds	20,667		20,667		—		—
Cash and money market accounts	4,975		4,975		—		—
Total	$	218,084	$	160,531	$	57,553	$	—

The fair values of the Company's U.S. pension plans' assets at December 31, 2011 by asset class are as follows:

(In thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Domestic equities:
Common stocks	$	39,295	$	39,295	$	—	$	—
Mutual funds—equities	40,107		19		40,088		—
International equities—mutual funds	37,740		33,198		4,542		—
Fixed income investments:
U.S. Treasuries and collateralized securities	23,054		—		23,054		—
Corporate bonds and notes	5,507		5,507		—		—
Mutual funds—bonds	40,110		40,110		—		—
Other—mutual funds	19,392		19,392		—		—
Cash and money market accounts	4,032		4,032		—		—
Total	$	209,237	$	141,553	$	67,684	$	—

International Plans

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets

The asset allocations attributable to the Company's international defined benefit pension plans at December 31, 2012 and 2011 and the long-term target allocation of plan assets, by asset category, are as follows:

International Plans Asset Category	Target Long-Term Allocation		Percentage of Plan Assets at December 31
			2012		2011
Equity securities	37.5	%	34.5	%	34.7	%
Fixed income securities	42.5	%	48.0	%	50.0	%
Cash and cash equivalents	—		0.2	%	0.4	%
Other	20.0	%	17.3	%	14.9	%

Schedule of Fair Value of Plan Assets by Measurement Levels

The fair values of the Company's international pension plans' assets at December 31, 2011 by asset class are as follows:

(In thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Equity securities:
Mutual funds—equities	$	247,629	$	—	$	247,629	$	—
Fixed income investments:
Corporate bonds and notes	—		—		—		—
Mutual funds—bonds	294,010		—		294,010		—
Insurance contracts	63,169		—		63,169		—
Other:
Real estate funds / limited partnerships	43,122		—		31,097		12,025
Other mutual funds	63,568		—		63,568		—
Cash and money market accounts	2,665		2,665		—		—
Total	$	714,163	$	2,665	$	699,473	$	12,025

The fair values of the Company's international pension plans' assets at December 31, 2012 by asset class are as follows:

(In thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Equity securities:
Mutual funds—equities	$	269,789	$	—	$	269,789	$	—
Fixed income investments:
Mutual funds—bonds	309,274		—		309,274		—
Insurance contracts	66,900		—		66,900		—
Other:
Real estate funds/limited partnerships	49,007		—		31,261		17,746
Other mutual funds	86,537		—		86,537		—
Cash and money market accounts	1,552		1,552		—		—
Total	$	783,059	$	1,552	$	763,761	$	17,746