Revenue Recognition (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 408,038	$ 372,541
On-site services and material logistics, product quality improvement and resource recovery for iron, steel and metals manufacturing; as well as value- added environmental solutions for industrial co-products.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	264,723	247,034
Railway track maintenance services and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	59,678	59,588
Industrial grating and fencing products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	30,097	28,159
Air-cooled heat exchangers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	44,267	30,461
Heat transfer products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	9,234	7,265
General Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	39	34
Western Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	111,641	101,259
North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	190,367	170,768
Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	47,031	45,078
Asia-Pacific
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	39,941	37,932
Middle East and Africa
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,553	10,556
Eastern Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	7,505	6,948
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	264,723	247,034
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | On-site services and material logistics, product quality improvement and resource recovery for iron, steel and metals manufacturing; as well as value- added environmental solutions for industrial co-products.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	264,723	247,034
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Railway track maintenance services and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Industrial grating and fencing products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Air-cooled heat exchangers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Heat transfer products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | General Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Western Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	96,921	91,720
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	71,065	67,233
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	41,458	38,020
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Asia-Pacific
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	36,221	32,557
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Middle East and Africa
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,553	10,556
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment | Eastern Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	7,505	6,948
Harsco Industrial Segment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	83,598	65,885
Harsco Industrial Segment | On-site services and material logistics, product quality improvement and resource recovery for iron, steel and metals manufacturing; as well as value- added environmental solutions for industrial co-products.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Industrial Segment | Railway track maintenance services and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Industrial Segment | Industrial grating and fencing products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	30,097	28,159
Harsco Industrial Segment | Air-cooled heat exchangers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	44,267	30,461
Harsco Industrial Segment | Heat transfer products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	9,234	7,265
Harsco Industrial Segment | General Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Industrial Segment | Western Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Industrial Segment | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	78,858	58,351
Harsco Industrial Segment | Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	4,740	6,582
Harsco Industrial Segment | Asia-Pacific
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	952
Harsco Industrial Segment | Middle East and Africa
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Industrial Segment | Eastern Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	59,678	59,588
Harsco Rail Segment | On-site services and material logistics, product quality improvement and resource recovery for iron, steel and metals manufacturing; as well as value- added environmental solutions for industrial co-products.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | Railway track maintenance services and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	59,678	59,588
Harsco Rail Segment | Industrial grating and fencing products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | Air-cooled heat exchangers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | Heat transfer products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | General Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | Western Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	14,720	9,539
Harsco Rail Segment | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	40,405	45,150
Harsco Rail Segment | Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	833	476
Harsco Rail Segment | Asia-Pacific
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,720	4,423
Harsco Rail Segment | Middle East and Africa
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Harsco Rail Segment | Eastern Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	39	34
Corporate | On-site services and material logistics, product quality improvement and resource recovery for iron, steel and metals manufacturing; as well as value- added environmental solutions for industrial co-products.
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Railway track maintenance services and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Industrial grating and fencing products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Air-cooled heat exchangers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Heat transfer products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | General Corporate
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	39	34
Corporate | Western Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	39	34
Corporate | Latin America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Asia-Pacific
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Middle East and Africa
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Corporate | Eastern Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 0	$ 0