Acquisitions and Dispositions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Mergers, Acquisitions and Dispositions Disclosures [Text Block]	Acquisitions and Dispositions Acquisitions In January 2014, the Company acquired Hammco Corporation ("Hammco"), a U.S. manufacturer of high specification air-cooled heat exchangers for the natural gas and petrochemical processing markets. Hammco has been included in the results of the Harsco Industrial Segment. Inclusion of pro forma financial information for this transaction is not necessary due to the immaterial size of the acquisition. The purchase price allocation for this acquisition is now final. Dispositions In November 2013, the Company consummated the previously announced transaction to sell the Company's Harsco Infrastructure Segment into a strategic venture with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice ("CD&R") as part of a transaction that combines the Harsco Infrastructure Segment with Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, Inc., which CD&R simultaneously acquired (the "Infrastructure Transaction"). The Company has contributed substantially all of the Company's equity interest in, and the net assets of, the Harsco Infrastructure Segment to the strategic venture in exchange for $300 million, subject to working capital and other adjustments, and an approximate 29% equity interest in the resulting entity (the "Infrastructure strategic venture" or "Brand"). The Company's equity interest in the Infrastructure strategic venture is accounted for under the equity method of accounting as prescribed by U.S. GAAP. See Note 5, Equity Method Investments, for additional information on equity method investments. As a result of the Infrastructure Transaction, the Company recorded an estimated loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment of $271.3 million during 2013 and recorded an additional loss of $3.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2014. The Company does not anticipate any further adjustments to the loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment. See Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, and Note 3, Acquisitions and Dispositions, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for additional information on the Company's policy on impairment of long-lived assets (other than goodwill) and the loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment. Additionally, the Company incurred $0.1 million and $1.7 million of transaction costs during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, in conjunction with the Infrastructure Transaction.

Acquisitions and Dispositions

Acquisitions

In January 2014, the Company acquired Hammco Corporation ("Hammco"), a U.S. manufacturer of high specification air-cooled heat exchangers for the natural gas and petrochemical processing markets. Hammco has been included in the results of the Harsco Industrial Segment. Inclusion of pro forma financial information for this transaction is not necessary due to the immaterial size of the acquisition. The purchase price allocation for this acquisition is now final.

Dispositions

In November 2013, the Company consummated the previously announced transaction to sell the Company's Harsco Infrastructure Segment into a strategic venture with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice ("CD&R") as part of a transaction that combines the Harsco Infrastructure Segment with Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, Inc., which CD&R simultaneously acquired (the "Infrastructure Transaction"). The Company has contributed substantially all of the Company's equity interest in, and the net assets of, the Harsco Infrastructure Segment to the strategic venture in exchange for $300 million, subject to working capital and other adjustments, and an approximate 29% equity interest in the resulting entity (the "Infrastructure strategic venture" or "Brand"). The Company's equity interest in the Infrastructure strategic venture is accounted for under the equity method of accounting as prescribed by U.S. GAAP. See Note 5, Equity Method Investments, for additional information on equity method investments.

As a result of the Infrastructure Transaction, the Company recorded an estimated loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment of $271.3 million during 2013 and recorded an additional loss of $3.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2014. The Company does not anticipate any further adjustments to the loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment. See Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, and Note 3, Acquisitions and Dispositions, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for additional information on the Company's policy on impairment of long-lived assets (other than goodwill) and the loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment.

Additionally, the Company incurred $0.1 million and $1.7 million of transaction costs during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, in conjunction with the Infrastructure Transaction.