-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 NmSrTzzPY/dWmi7Oql8DjWxQcLDkbgmJyjf0JD/oClvuweu+teDu2qr7nqV3Fauj
 rqM/PXITUEtElmSTUeWB4A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-036873.txt : 20031219
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-036873.hdr.sgml : 20031219
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031219160642
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-036873
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031209
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031219

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CURTIS GEORGE L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001216581

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-16379
		FILM NUMBER:		031065348

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		88 EDGEMONT RD.
		CITY:			BRAINTREE
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02184

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CLEAN HARBORS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000822818
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT [4955]
		IRS NUMBER:				042997780
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1501 WASHINGTON ST
		STREET 2:		325 WOOD RD
		CITY:			BRAINTREE
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02184
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6178491800

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 327
		STREET 2:		325 WOOD ROAD
		CITY:			BRAINTREE
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02184
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd25116.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-09</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000822818</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CLEAN HARBORS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>clhb</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216581</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CURTIS GEORGE L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CLEAN HARBORS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1501 WASHINGTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BRAINTREE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02185</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.125</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></
nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>9.91</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Exericise of employee stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><
value>2.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.125</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-01-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directO
rIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">As to twenty (20%) percentof the total number of option shares upon 12/19/97 and as to an additional twenty percent (20%) on each anniversary date thereafter so that this option may be exercised as to one hundred percent (100%) of the total number of option shares on and after 12/19/01</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>George L. Curtis</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-09</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----