Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	$ 292,966	$ 288,566	$ 288,034
Inventories	132,352	118,500	178,293
Current portion of contract assets	23,871	18,248	0
Other current assets	41,227	39,511	39,332
Total current assets	582,756	551,258	592,092
Contract assets	3,566	3,566	0
Deferred income tax assets	49,900		51,574
Other assets	19,100	16,600	15,263
Total assets	1,582,621	1,542,754	1,578,685
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	38,147	39,451	117,958
Other current liabilities	145,501	147,363	133,368
Total current liabilities	389,657	409,616	474,128
Advances on contracts	21,837	24,564	0
Other liabilities	41,176	42,426	40,846
Liabilities	1,336,276	1,325,152	1,363,520
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(543,217)	(548,102)	(546,582)
Retained earnings	1,179,516	1,161,758	1,157,801
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	198,107	172,888	170,451
Total equity	246,345	217,602	215,165	$ 168,533	$ 137,563
Total liabilities and equity	1,582,621	1,542,754	1,578,685
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	292,298		288,034
Inventories	203,547		178,293
Current portion of contract assets	0		0
Other current assets	41,050		39,332
Total current assets	629,235		592,092
Contract assets	0		0
Deferred income tax assets	50,847
Other assets	17,815		15,263
Total assets	1,625,196		1,578,685
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	116,956		117,958
Other current liabilities	133,700		133,368
Total current liabilities	456,665		474,128
Advances on contracts	0		0
Other liabilities	40,795		40,846
Liabilities	1,381,066		1,363,520
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(541,390)		(546,582)
Retained earnings	1,175,474		1,157,801
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	195,892		170,451
Total equity	244,130		215,165
Total liabilities and equity	1,625,196		$ 1,578,685
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	(668)	532
Inventories	71,195	(59,793)
Current portion of contract assets	(23,871)	18,248
Other current assets	(177)	179
Total current assets	46,479	(40,834)
Contract assets	(3,566)	3,566
Deferred income tax assets	947
Other assets	(1,285)	1,337
Total assets	42,575	(35,931)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	78,809	(78,507)
Other current liabilities	(11,801)	13,995
Total current liabilities	67,008	(64,512)
Advances on contracts	(21,837)	24,564
Other liabilities	(381)	1,580
Liabilities	44,790	(38,368)
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	1,827	(1,520)
Retained earnings	(4,042)	3,957
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	(2,215)	2,437
Total equity	(2,215)	2,437
Total liabilities and equity	$ 42,575	$ (35,931)