Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Harsco Corporation (the “Company”) has prepared these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements based on Securities and Exchange Commission rules that permit reduced disclosure for interim periods. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (all of which are of a normal recurring nature) that are necessary for a fair statement are reflected in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. The December 31, 2015 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet information contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q was derived from the 2015 audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”) for an annual report. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Operating results and cash flows for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform with current year classifications.
Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition	Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition Product revenues are recognized when they are realized or realizable and when earned. Revenue is realized or realizable and earned when all of the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the Company's price to the buyer is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Product revenues include the Harsco Industrial Segment and the product revenues of the Harsco Metals & Minerals and Harsco Rail Segments. Certain contracts within the Harsco Rail Segment, which meet specific criteria established in U.S. GAAP, are accounted for as long-term contracts. The Company recognizes revenues on two contracts from the federal railway system of Switzerland ("SBB") based on the percentage-of-completion (units-of-delivery) method of accounting, whereby revenues and estimated average costs of the units to be produced under the contracts are recognized as deliveries are made or accepted. Contract revenues and cost estimates are reviewed and revised, at a minimum quarterly, and adjustments are reflected in the accounting period as such amounts are determined.
Change in Estimates	Change in Estimates Accounting for contracts using the percentage-of-completion method requires judgment relative to assessing risks, estimating contract revenues and costs (including estimating any liquidating damages or penalties related to performance) and making assumptions for schedule and technical items. Due to the number of years it may take to complete these contracts and the scope and nature of the work required to be performed on those contracts, estimating total sales and costs at completion is inherently complicated and subject to many variables and, accordingly estimates are subject to change. When adjustments in estimated total contract sales or estimated total costs are required, any changes from prior estimates are recognized in the current period for the inception-to-date effect of such changes. When estimates of total costs to be incurred on a contract, using the percentage-of-completion method, exceed estimates of total sales to be earned, a provision for the entire loss on the contract is recorded in the period in which the loss is determined.
Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards	Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards The following accounting standards have been adopted in 2016: On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") related to reporting extraordinary and unusual items. The changes simplified income statement presentation by eliminating the concept of extraordinary items. The changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2016. The adoption of these changes did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB related to consolidation. The changes updated consolidation analysis and affected reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. The changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2016. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB related to simplifying the presentation of debt issuance costs. The changes required that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. In August 2015, the FASB added guidance about the presentation and subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements. The changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2016. The adoption of these changes resulted in the reclassification of approximately $8 million and approximately $10 million at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, in deferred financing costs from Other assets to Long-term debt on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for all periods presented. On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB related to the determination of whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement is determined to include a software license, then the customer accounts for the software license element consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If the arrangement is determined not to contain a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. The changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2016. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB simplifying the accounting for measurement period adjustments for business combinations. The changes resulted in an acquirer no longer being required to retrospectively reflect adjustments to provisional amounts during the measurement period as if they were recognized as of the acquisition date. Instead the acquirer would record the effect of the change to the provisional amounts during the measurement period in which the adjustment is identified. The changes also required additional disclosure related to such measurement period adjustments. The changes became effective for the Company on January 1, 2016. The adoption of these changes did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements; however in the future will have an effect on how the Company reports adjustments to provisional amounts during the measurement period. The following accounting standards have been issued and become effective for the Company at a future date: In May 2014, the FASB issued changes related to the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The changes clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and develop a common revenue standard. The core principle of the changes is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The changes also require additional disclosures related to revenue recognition. In July 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of these changes by one year, but will permit entities to adopt one year earlier. During 2016, the FASB clarified the implementation guidance for principal versus agent considerations, identifying performance obligations, accounting for intellectual property licenses, collectability, non-cash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes, as well as introduced practical expedients related to disclosures of remaining performance obligations. These changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Management is currently evaluating the impact of these changes on its condensed consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued changes related to management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The changes become effective for the Company for the annual period ending December 31, 2016 and interim periods thereafter. Management has evaluated these changes and does not expect these changes will have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued changes related to the simplification of the measurement of inventory. The changes require entities to measure most inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value, thereby simplifying the current guidance under which an entity must measure inventory at the lower of cost or market. The changes do not apply to inventories that are measured using either the last-in, first-out method or the retail inventory method. The changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Management has determined that these changes will not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. In November 2015, the FASB issued changes that require deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The changes apply to all entities that present a classified statement of financial position. The current requirement that deferred tax assets and liabilities of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount is not affected. The changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Had these changes been adopted, the Company's working capital would have decreased by approximately $27 million and $38 million at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. In February 2016, the FASB issued changes in accounting for leases. The changes introduce a lessee model that brings most leases on the balance sheet. The changes also align many of the underlying principles of the new lessor model with those in the FASB’s new revenue recognition standard. Furthermore, the changes address other concerns related to the current leases model such as eliminating the requirement in current guidance for an entity to use bright-line tests in determining lease classification. The changes also require lessors to increase the transparency of their exposure to changes in value of their residual assets and how they manage that exposure. The changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. Management is currently evaluating the impact of these changes on its condensed consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued changes related to the simplification of several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Management is currently evaluating the impact of these changes on its condensed consolidated financial statements and does not expect them to have a material impact. In August 2016, the FASB issued changes to address eight specific cash flow presentation issues with the objective of reducing diversity in practice. The issues identified include: debt prepayments or extinguishment costs; contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies); distributions received from equity method investees; beneficial interests in securitization transactions; and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. The changes become effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Management has determined that these changes will not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction.