GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 355,345	$ 184,708	$ 233,739	$ 246,879
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	458,301	496,004
Other current assets	249,975	240,484
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,596,872	1,532,467
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	460,642	453,105
Permits and other intangibles, net	502,532	506,818
Other long-term assets	18,008	17,842
Total assets	3,641,675	3,431,428
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	465,510	517,120
Intercompany payables	0	0
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	167,972	167,846
Long-term obligations	1,631,603	1,382,543
Intercompany debt payable	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	260,017	267,637
Total liabilities	2,525,102	2,335,146
Stockholders’ equity	1,116,573	1,096,282
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,641,675	3,431,428
Clean Harbors, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	56,028	11,017	84,881	1,006
Intercompany receivables	172,776	164,709
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	2,832,086	2,547,307
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	1,626	1,068
Total assets	3,062,516	2,724,101
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	22,124	20,813
Intercompany payables	288,515	220,762
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	1,631,603	1,382,543
Intercompany debt payable	3,701	3,701
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	1,945,943	1,627,819
Stockholders’ equity	1,116,573	1,096,282
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,062,516	2,724,101
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	219,856	83,479	78,608	154,147
Intercompany receivables	283,034	213,243
Accounts receivable, net	380,873	404,580
Other current assets	185,171	179,969
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,129,262	1,082,466
Investments in subsidiaries	524,500	522,067
Intercompany debt receivable	278,018	260,957
Goodwill	369,400	367,306
Permits and other intangibles, net	429,388	435,080
Other long-term assets	9,457	10,274
Total assets	3,808,959	3,559,421
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	382,100	424,588
Intercompany payables	203,542	195,287
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	152,767	153,190
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	238,464	239,049
Total liabilities	976,873	1,012,114
Stockholders’ equity	2,832,086	2,547,307
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,808,959	3,559,421
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	79,461	90,212	$ 70,250	$ 91,726
Intercompany receivables	38,065	39,804
Accounts receivable, net	77,428	91,424
Other current assets	64,804	60,515
Property, plant and equipment, net	467,610	450,001
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	3,701	3,701
Goodwill	91,242	85,799
Permits and other intangibles, net	73,144	71,738
Other long-term assets	6,925	6,500
Total assets	902,380	899,694
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	61,286	71,719
Intercompany payables	1,818	1,707
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	15,205	14,656
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	278,018	260,957
Other long-term liabilities	21,553	28,588
Total liabilities	377,880	377,627
Stockholders’ equity	524,500	522,067
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	902,380	899,694
Consolidating Adjustments
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(493,875)	(417,756)
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,356,586)	(3,069,374)
Intercompany debt receivable	(281,719)	(264,658)
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	(4,132,180)	(3,751,788)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	0	0
Intercompany payables	(493,875)	(417,756)
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	(281,719)	(264,658)
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(775,594)	(682,414)
Stockholders’ equity	(3,356,586)	(3,069,374)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (4,132,180)	$ (3,751,788)