Capital Stock (Details 2) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Common Stock
Shares outstanding at the beginning of the period		112,499,874	112,405,302	112,357,348	112,198,693
Treasury Stock, Number of Shares Held	[1]	32,324,911	32,310,937	31,697,498	31,519,768
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding		80,174,963	80,094,365	80,659,850	80,678,925
Vested Restricted Stock Units (in shares)		94,572	47,954	65,851
Stock issued during period, stock appreciation rights				9,213
Other Stock Grants (in shares)				83,591
Treasury shares purchased			0	0
Shares outstanding at the end of the period		112,499,874	112,405,302	112,357,348
Treasury Stock, Number of Shares Held	[1]	32,324,911	32,310,937	31,697,498
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding		80,174,963	80,094,365	80,659,850
Reconciliation of the average shares of common stock used to compute basic earnings per common share to the shares used to compute diluted earnings per common share
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars)		$ (86,336)	$ 7,168	$ (22,281)
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding		80,333,000	80,234,000	80,884,000
Dilutive effect of stock-based compensation (in shares)		0	131,000	0
Weighted-average shares outstanding—diluted (in shares)		80,333,000	80,365,000	80,884,000
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations per common share, attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ (1.07)	$ 0.09	$ (0.28)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share		$ (1.07)	$ 0.09	$ (0.28)
Treasury Stock [Member]
Common Stock
Vested Restricted Stock Units (in shares)	[1]	13,974	16,807	4,418
Stock issued during period, stock appreciation rights	[1]			2,985
Other Stock Grants (in shares)	[1]			20,327
Treasury shares purchased		0	(596,632)	(150,000)
Outstanding Shares
Common Stock
Vested Restricted Stock Units (in shares)		80,598	31,147	61,433
Stock issued during period, stock appreciation rights				6,228
Other Stock Grants (in shares)				63,264
Treasury shares purchased			(596,632)	(150,000)

[1] The Company repurchases shares in connection with the issuance of shares under stock-based compensation programs and in accordance with Board authorized share repurchase programs.