Debt and Credit Agreements (Details 2) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Net sales proceeds			$ 0	$ 0	$ 165,640,000
Repayment of debt			116,988,000	108,280,000	979,567,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			(1,127,000)	(2,265,000)	(35,337,000)
Total debt obligations			605,394,000	593,659,000
Current maturities of long-term debt			6,489,000	11,208,000
Short-term borrowings			$ 10,078,000	$ 8,621,000
Weighted average interest rate			3.00%	4.30%
Interest paid			$ 34,200,000	$ 44,300,000	$ 49,600,000
Harsco Infrastructure | Infrastructure Transaction Strategic Venture
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership in equity method investments					26.00%
Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest rate floor			1.00%
Quarterly payment, percentage of original principal amount			0.25%
Total debt obligations			$ 541,788,000	545,875,000
Term Loan | LIBOR
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.25%
Term Loan | New Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Principle amount					$ 550,000,000
Term Loan | Fixed-Rate Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Principle amount			$ 300,000,000.0
Term Loan | Fixed-Rate Term Loan | LIBOR
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.65%
Term Loan | Fixed-Rate Term Loan | LIBOR | Forecast
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate		3.12%
Senior Notes | 5.75% notes due May 15,2018
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Stated interest rate					5.75%
Senior Secured Credit facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Total debt obligations			$ 598,343,000	581,416,000
Current maturities of long-term debt			5,445,000	5,459,000
Senior Secured Credit Facilities
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Total debt obligations			603,788,000	586,875,000
Credit Agreement
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Facility limit			500,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Current borrowing capacity					$ 400,000,000
Total debt obligations			$ 62,000,000	$ 41,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Minimum | Base Rate
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.875%
Revolving Credit Facility | Minimum | LIBOR
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.875%
Revolving Credit Facility | Maximum | Base Rate
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.00%
Revolving Credit Facility | Maximum | LIBOR
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	3.00%