GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Statements of (Loss) Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Service revenues	$ 760,667	$ 657,221	$ 2,158,344	$ 1,962,071
Product revenues	132,699	194,244	403,749	594,541
Total revenues	893,366	851,465	2,562,093	2,556,612
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	523,676	440,261	1,484,936	1,333,443
Product cost of revenues	110,970	158,146	348,905	497,633
Total cost of revenues	634,646	598,407	1,833,841	1,831,076
Selling, general and administrative expenses	93,113	99,701	321,246	334,394
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,577	2,642	7,795	7,975
Depreciation and amortization	69,060	70,049	205,189	205,480
Goodwill impairment charge	0	123,414	31,992	123,414
Income (loss) from operations	93,970	(42,748)	162,030	54,273
Other (expense) income	(139)	613	(390)	4,136
Interest (expense) income	(19,017)	(19,494)	(57,704)	(58,430)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Dividend Income from Affiliates Subsidiaries and Holding Company				0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	74,814	(61,629)	103,936	(21)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	34,586	31,708	60,402	55,684
Net income (loss)	40,228	(93,337)	43,534	(55,705)
Other comprehensive loss	(53,541)	(49,092)	(118,713)	(54,561)
Comprehensive loss	(13,313)	(142,429)	(75,179)	(110,266)
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Revenues:
Service revenues	0	0	0	0
Product revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Product cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25	25	75	82
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	(25)	(25)	(75)	(82)
Other (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(19,671)	(19,622)	(58,962)	(58,968)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	52,046	(81,549)	78,956	(20,275)
Net Dividend Income from Affiliates Subsidiaries and Holding Company				0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	32,350	(101,196)	19,919	(79,325)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(7,878)	(7,859)	(23,615)	(23,620)
Net income (loss)	40,228	(93,337)	43,534	(55,705)
Other comprehensive loss	(53,541)	(49,092)	(118,713)	(54,561)
Comprehensive loss	(13,313)	(142,429)	(75,179)	(110,266)
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	612,814	420,906	1,659,739	1,325,266
Product revenues	117,653	167,492	349,524	475,429
Total revenues	730,467	588,398	2,009,263	1,800,695
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	413,878	265,940	1,106,591	872,999
Product cost of revenues	101,778	149,270	315,322	403,007
Total cost of revenues	515,656	415,210	1,421,913	1,276,006
Selling, general and administrative expenses	72,811	71,139	247,472	241,317
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,277	2,295	6,870	6,931
Depreciation and amortization	46,951	44,305	137,354	128,496
Goodwill impairment charge	0	105,466	4,164	105,466
Income (loss) from operations	92,772	(50,017)	191,490	42,479
Other (expense) income	204	2,592	483	2,716
Interest (expense) income	613	85	1,115	537
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(2,341)	(7,361)	(38,920)	(13,525)
Net Dividend Income from Affiliates Subsidiaries and Holding Company				0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	5,666	6,148	17,679	24,368
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	96,914	(48,553)	171,847	56,575
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	44,868	32,996	92,891	76,850
Net income (loss)	52,046	(81,549)	78,956	(20,275)
Other comprehensive loss	(53,541)	(49,092)	(118,713)	(54,561)
Comprehensive loss	(1,495)	(130,641)	(39,757)	(74,836)
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	162,680	235,569	546,790	647,469
Product revenues	17,591	26,713	63,239	122,343
Total revenues	180,271	262,282	610,029	769,812
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	124,625	173,575	426,530	471,108
Product cost of revenues	11,737	8,837	42,597	97,857
Total cost of revenues	136,362	182,412	469,127	568,965
Selling, general and administrative expenses	20,277	28,537	73,699	92,995
Accretion of environmental liabilities	300	347	925	1,044
Depreciation and amortization	22,109	25,744	67,835	76,984
Goodwill impairment charge	0	17,948	27,828	17,948
Income (loss) from operations	1,223	7,294	(29,385)	11,876
Other (expense) income	(343)	(1,979)	(873)	1,420
Interest (expense) income	41	43	143	1
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Dividend Income from Affiliates Subsidiaries and Holding Company				6,238
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(5,666)	(6,148)	(17,679)	(24,368)
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(4,745)	(790)	(47,794)	(4,833)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(2,404)	6,571	(8,874)	2,454
Net income (loss)	(2,341)	(7,361)	(38,920)	(7,287)
Other comprehensive loss	(34,150)	32,335	(76,752)	9,090
Comprehensive loss	(36,491)	24,974	(115,672)	1,803
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues:
Service revenues	(14,827)	746	(48,185)	(10,664)
Product revenues	(2,545)	39	(9,014)	(3,231)
Total revenues	(17,372)	785	(57,199)	(13,895)
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	(14,827)	746	(48,185)	(10,664)
Product cost of revenues	(2,545)	39	(9,014)	(3,231)
Total cost of revenues	(17,372)	785	(57,199)	(13,895)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Other (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(49,705)	88,910	(40,036)	33,800
Net Dividend Income from Affiliates Subsidiaries and Holding Company				(6,238)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(49,705)	88,910	(40,036)	27,562
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0	0		0
Net income (loss)	(49,705)	88,910	(40,036)	27,562
Other comprehensive loss	87,691	16,757	195,465	45,471
Comprehensive loss	$ 37,986	$ 105,667	$ 155,429	$ 73,033