GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	$ 523,118	$ 447,235	$ 1,095,140	$ 882,197
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	367,623	307,754	767,938	620,331
Selling, general and administrative expenses	66,794	58,254	137,553	113,048
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,505	2,407	4,921	4,796
Depreciation and amortization	38,663	26,936	75,494	52,396
Income from operations	47,533	51,884	109,234	91,626
Other (expense) income	(75)	2,868	(374)	5,767
Interest (expense) income	(10,968)	(10,642)	(22,240)	(17,120)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	36,490	44,110	86,620	80,273
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	13,064	14,954	31,179	28,387
Net income	23,426	29,156	55,441	51,886
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(17,457)	3,126	(2,277)	19,607
Comprehensive income (loss)	5,969	32,282	53,164	71,493
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(62)	8	18	50
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Income from operations	62	(8)	(18)	(50)
Other (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income	(10,726)	(10,630)	(21,432)	(17,306)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	38,461	43,534	74,926	76,865
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0	10,010	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	27,797	32,896	63,486	59,509
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	4,371	3,740	8,045	7,623
Net income	23,426	29,156	55,441	51,886
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(17,457)	3,126	(2,277)	19,607
Comprehensive income (loss)	5,969	32,282	53,164	71,493
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	313,742	263,194	605,279	511,561
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	210,755	178,057	411,955	353,495
Selling, general and administrative expenses	41,445	38,621	86,357	74,732
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,184	2,090	4,280	4,177
Depreciation and amortization	19,154	12,693	35,790	25,691
Income from operations	40,204	31,733	66,897	53,466
Other (expense) income	125	394	(325)	3,730
Interest (expense) income	21	5	(180)	173
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	7,371	24,411	33,367	31,712
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	10,259	8,970	20,604	17,700
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	57,980	65,513	120,363	106,781
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	9,920	6,849	15,642	13,176
Net income	48,060	58,664	104,721	93,605
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(17,457)	3,126	(2,277)	19,607
Comprehensive income (loss)	30,603	61,790	102,444	113,212
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	214,821	189,238	500,550	382,026
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	162,313	134,894	366,672	278,226
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25,411	19,625	51,178	38,266
Accretion of environmental liabilities	321	317	641	619
Depreciation and amortization	19,509	14,243	39,704	26,705
Income from operations	7,267	20,159	42,355	38,210
Other (expense) income	(200)	2,474	(49)	2,037
Interest (expense) income	(263)	(17)	(628)	13
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries		0	0	0
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	3,389	3,537	6,915	6,993
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(10,259)	(8,970)	(20,604)	(17,700)
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	(66)	17,183	27,989	29,553
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(1,227)	4,365	7,492	7,588
Net income	1,161	12,818	20,497	21,965
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(7,956)	90	(1,672)	5,795
Comprehensive income (loss)	(6,795)	12,908	18,825	27,760
Consolidating Adjustments
Consolidating statement of income
Revenues	(5,445)	(5,197)	(10,689)	(11,390)
Cost of revenues (exclusive of items shown separately below)	(5,445)	(5,197)	(10,689)	(11,390)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Income 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	(45,832)	(67,945)	(108,293)	(108,577)
Intercompany dividend income (expense)	(3,389)	(3,537)	(16,925)	(6,993)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations, before provision for income taxes	(49,221)	(71,482)	(125,218)	(115,570)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0		0	0
Net income	(49,221)	(71,482)	(125,218)	(115,570)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	25,413	(3,216)	3,949	(25,402)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (23,808)	$ (74,698)	$ (121,269)	$ (140,972)