GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 297,366	$ 306,997	$ 355,345	$ 184,708
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	480,044	496,226
Other current assets	284,361	289,648
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,609,490	1,611,827
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	469,860	465,154
Permits and other intangibles, net	490,952	498,721
Other long-term assets	13,580	13,347
Total assets	3,645,653	3,681,920
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	488,581	504,668
Intercompany payables	0	0
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	165,389	166,322
Long-term obligations	1,633,968	1,633,272
Intercompany debt payable	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	294,085	293,417
Total liabilities	2,582,023	2,597,679
Stockholders’ equity	1,063,630	1,084,241
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,645,653	3,681,920
Reportable Legal Entities | Clean Harbors, Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	51,726	51,417	56,028	11,017
Intercompany receivables	209,410	200,337
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	1,033	3,096
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	2,849,584	2,851,571
Intercompany debt receivable	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	2,421	2,446
Total assets	3,114,174	3,108,867
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	22,063	21,805
Intercompany payables	390,812	365,848
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	1,633,968	1,633,272
Intercompany debt payable	3,701	3,701
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	2,050,544	2,024,626
Stockholders’ equity	1,063,630	1,084,241
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,114,174	3,108,867
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	139,160	155,943	219,856	83,479
Intercompany receivables	396,286	354,836
Accounts receivable, net	400,764	417,029
Other current assets	235,715	234,408
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,214,176	1,211,210
Investments in subsidiaries	563,331	580,124
Intercompany debt receivable	87,215	86,409
Goodwill	417,224	412,638
Permits and other intangibles, net	429,311	435,594
Other long-term assets	7,661	7,582
Total assets	3,890,843	3,895,773
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	356,914	366,831
Intercompany payables	245,871	237,058
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	148,992	150,682
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	21,000	21,000
Other long-term liabilities	276,118	275,649
Total liabilities	1,048,895	1,051,220
Stockholders’ equity	2,841,948	2,844,553
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,890,843	3,895,773
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	106,480	99,637	79,461	90,212
Intercompany receivables	40,235	49,055
Accounts receivable, net	79,280	79,197
Other current assets	59,592	69,257
Property, plant and equipment, net	395,314	400,617
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany debt receivable	24,701	24,701
Goodwill	52,636	52,516
Permits and other intangibles, net	61,641	63,127
Other long-term assets	4,566	4,387
Total assets	824,445	842,494
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	121,583	133,145
Intercompany payables	9,248	1,322
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	16,397	15,640
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	87,215	86,409
Other long-term liabilities	19,035	18,836
Total liabilities	253,478	255,352
Stockholders’ equity	570,967	587,142
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	824,445	842,494
Consolidating Adjustments
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Intercompany receivables	(645,931)	(604,228)
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	(11,979)	(17,113)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,412,915)	(3,431,695)
Intercompany debt receivable	(111,916)	(111,110)
Goodwill	0	0
Permits and other intangibles, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	(1,068)	(1,068)
Total assets	(4,183,809)	(4,165,214)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities	(11,979)	(17,113)
Intercompany payables	(645,931)	(604,228)
Closure, post-closure and remedial liabilities, net	0	0
Long-term obligations	0	0
Intercompany debt payable	(111,916)	(111,110)
Other long-term liabilities	(1,068)	(1,068)
Total liabilities	(770,894)	(733,519)
Stockholders’ equity	(3,412,915)	(3,431,695)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (4,183,809)	$ (4,165,214)