GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Statements of (Loss) Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Service revenues	$ 530,231	$ 596,330
Product revenues	105,852	136,169
Total revenues	636,083	732,499
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	373,986	416,390
Product cost of revenues	90,293	130,117
Total cost of revenues	464,279	546,507
Selling, general and administrative expenses	104,484	107,715
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,505	2,619
Depreciation and amortization	68,902	68,356
(Loss) income from operations	(4,087)	7,302
Other income (expense)	(350)	409
Interest (expense) income	(18,980)	(19,438)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes	(23,417)	(11,727)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(2,546)	(4,638)
Net (loss) income	(20,871)	(7,089)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	45,837	(77,403)
Comprehensive income (loss)	24,966	(84,492)
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Revenues:
Service revenues	0	0
Product revenues	0	0
Total revenues	0	0
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	0	0
Product cost of revenues	0	0
Total cost of revenues	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	24	25
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
(Loss) income from operations	(24)	(25)
Other income (expense)	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(20,143)	(19,639)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(8,771)	4,709
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes	(28,938)	(14,955)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(8,067)	(7,866)
Net (loss) income	(20,871)	(7,089)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	45,837	(77,403)
Comprehensive income (loss)	24,966	(84,492)
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	428,477	418,517
Product revenues	89,588	116,536
Total revenues	518,065	535,053
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	282,964	277,602
Product cost of revenues	79,354	115,286
Total cost of revenues	362,318	392,888
Selling, general and administrative expenses	80,655	80,984
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,290	2,306
Depreciation and amortization	48,695	45,801
(Loss) income from operations	24,107	13,074
Other income (expense)	(88)	111
Interest (expense) income	1,111	178
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	(26,495)	(7,029)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	5,159	5,977
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes	3,794	12,311
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	12,565	7,602
Net (loss) income	(8,771)	4,709
Other comprehensive income (loss)	45,837	(77,403)
Comprehensive income (loss)	37,066	(72,694)
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Service revenues	114,023	193,453
Product revenues	18,713	23,204
Total revenues	132,736	216,657
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	103,291	154,428
Product cost of revenues	13,388	18,402
Total cost of revenues	116,679	172,830
Selling, general and administrative expenses	23,805	26,706
Accretion of environmental liabilities	215	313
Depreciation and amortization	20,207	22,555
(Loss) income from operations	(28,170)	(5,747)
Other income (expense)	(262)	298
Interest (expense) income	52	23
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(5,159)	(5,977)
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes	(33,539)	(11,403)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(7,044)	(4,374)
Net (loss) income	(26,495)	(7,029)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	28,927	(50,635)
Comprehensive income (loss)	2,432	(57,664)
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues:
Service revenues	(12,269)	(15,640)
Product revenues	(2,449)	(3,571)
Total revenues	(14,718)	(19,211)
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Service cost of revenues	(12,269)	(15,640)
Product cost of revenues	(2,449)	(3,571)
Total cost of revenues	(14,718)	(19,211)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
(Loss) income from operations	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0
Interest (expense) income	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of taxes	35,266	2,320
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0
(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes	35,266	2,320
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0	0
Net (loss) income	35,266	2,320
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(74,764)	128,038
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (39,498)	$ 130,358