GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows
Net cash from operating activities	$ 324,365	$ 179,531	$ 224,108
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(197,397)	(148,513)	(116,450)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,373,921)	(336,960)	(14,646)
Additions to intangible assets including costs to obtain or renew permits	(4,046)	(2,927)	(4,204)
Purchased of marketable securities	(10,517)	0	(2,127)
Purshase of investment securities	0	0	(10,506)
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets and assets held for sale	8,125	6,794	16,053
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	0	425	3,557
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments	0	1,000	1,300
Proceeds from insurance settlement	0	0	1,336
Other	5,120	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,572,636)	(480,181)	(125,687)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Change in uncashed checks	(12,070)	9,822	(1,266)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	288	1,350	862
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan	6,196	3,516	2,449
Remittance of shares, net	(2,912)	(4,061)	(399)
Excess tax benefit of stock-based compensation	2,556	3,352	1,751
Deferred financing costs paid	(19,056)	(8,463)	(353)
Payments on capital leases	(6,599)	(7,837)	(5,126)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	369,520	0	0
Principal payments on debt	(520,000)	0	(30,000)
Distribution of cash earned on employee participation plan	(55)	(189)	(148)
Issuance of senior unsecured notes, at par	1,400,000	0	0
Issuance of senior secured notes, including premium	0	261,250	0
Net cash from financing activities	1,217,868	258,740	(32,230)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash	(484)	423	2,473
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(30,887)	(41,487)	68,664
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	260,723	302,210	233,546
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	229,836	260,723	302,210
Clean Harbors, Inc.
Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows
Net cash from operating activities	(45,655)	(17,428)	(4,666)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,257,259)	0	0
Additions to intangible assets including costs to obtain or renew permits	0	0	0
Purchased of marketable securities			0
Purshase of investment securities			(10,506)
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets and assets held for sale		0	0
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments		0	0
Proceeds from insurance settlement			0
Other	0
Investment in subsidiaries		(258,597)	(236,700)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,257,259)	(258,597)	(247,206)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Change in uncashed checks	0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	288	1,350	862
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan	6,196	3,516	(2,449)
Remittance of shares, net	(2,912)	(4,061)	(399)
Excess tax benefit of stock-based compensation	2,556	3,352	1,751
Deferred financing costs paid	(19,056)	(8,463)	(353)
Payments on capital leases	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	369,520
Principal payments on debt	(520,000)		(30,000)
Distribution of cash earned on employee participation plan	(55)	0	0
Issuance of senior unsecured notes, at par	1,400,000
Issuance of senior secured notes, including premium	0	261,250
Dividends (paid) / received	10,010	10,186
Interest (payments) / received	0	0	0
Proceeds from Intercompany Debt		0	(236,700)
Net cash from financing activities	1,246,547	267,130	211,010
Effect of exchange rate change on cash	0	0	0
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(56,367)	(8,895)	(40,862)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	91,581	100,476	141,338
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	35,214	91,581	100,476
U.S. Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows
Net cash from operating activities	179,425	90,015	125,974
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(117,344)	(92,531)	(55,814)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	3,810
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(63,351)	(50,166)	(14,646)
Additions to intangible assets including costs to obtain or renew permits	(712)	(465)	(1,534)
Purchased of marketable securities			0
Purshase of investment securities			0
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets and assets held for sale		657	1,018
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments		1,000	1,300
Proceeds from insurance settlement			0
Other	500
Investment in subsidiaries		178,884	236,700
Net cash used in investing activities	(177,097)	37,379	167,024
Cash flows from financing activities:
Change in uncashed checks	(6,761)	6,558	(995)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan	0	0	0
Remittance of shares, net	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit of stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Deferred financing costs paid	0	0	0
Payments on capital leases	(850)	(820)	(492)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0
Principal payments on debt	0		0
Distribution of cash earned on employee participation plan	0	0	0
Issuance of senior unsecured notes, at par	0
Issuance of senior secured notes, including premium
Dividends (paid) / received	(23,815)	(24,306)
Interest (payments) / received	41,710	35,088	19,363
Proceeds from Intercompany Debt		(140,425)	236,700
Net cash from financing activities	10,284	(123,905)	(218,824)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash	0	0	0
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	12,612	3,489	74,174
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	128,071	124,582	50,408
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	140,683	128,071	124,582
Foreign Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows
Net cash from operating activities	190,595	106,944	102,800
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(80,053)	(55,982)	(60,636)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	4,315
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(53,311)	(286,794)	0
Additions to intangible assets including costs to obtain or renew permits	(3,334)	(2,462)	(2,670)
Purchased of marketable securities			(2,127)
Purshase of investment securities			0
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets and assets held for sale		6,137	15,035
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	(10,517)	425	3,557
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments		0	0
Proceeds from insurance settlement			1,336
Other	4,620
Investment in subsidiaries		79,713	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(138,280)	(258,963)	(45,505)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Change in uncashed checks	(5,309)	3,264	(271)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan	0	0	0
Remittance of shares, net	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit of stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Deferred financing costs paid	0	0	0
Payments on capital leases	(5,749)	(7,017)	(4,634)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0
Principal payments on debt	0		0
Distribution of cash earned on employee participation plan	0	(189)	(148)
Issuance of senior unsecured notes, at par	0
Issuance of senior secured notes, including premium
Dividends (paid) / received	13,805	14,120
Interest (payments) / received	(41,710)	(35,088)	(19,363)
Proceeds from Intercompany Debt		140,425	0
Net cash from financing activities	(38,963)	115,515	(24,416)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash	(484)	423	2,473
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	12,868	(36,081)	35,352
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	41,071	77,152	41,800
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	53,939	41,071	77,152
Parent [Member]
Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows
Net cash from operating activities	324,365	179,531	224,108
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(197,397)	(148,513)	(116,450)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	8,125
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,373,921)	(336,960)	(14,646)
Additions to intangible assets including costs to obtain or renew permits	(4,046)	(2,927)	(4,204)
Purchased of marketable securities			(2,127)
Purshase of investment securities			(10,506)
Proceeds from sales of fixed assets and assets held for sale		6,794	16,053
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	(10,517)	425	3,557
Proceeds from sale of long-term investments		1,000	1,300
Proceeds from insurance settlement			1,336
Other	5,120
Investment in subsidiaries		0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,572,636)	(480,181)	(125,687)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Change in uncashed checks	(12,070)	9,822	(1,266)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	288	1,350	862
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan	6,196	3,516	(2,449)
Remittance of shares, net	(2,912)	(4,061)	(399)
Excess tax benefit of stock-based compensation	2,556	3,352	1,751
Deferred financing costs paid	(19,056)	(8,463)	(353)
Payments on capital leases	(6,599)	(7,837)	(5,126)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	369,520
Principal payments on debt	(520,000)		(30,000)
Distribution of cash earned on employee participation plan	(55)	(189)	(148)
Issuance of senior unsecured notes, at par	1,400,000
Issuance of senior secured notes, including premium	0	261,250
Dividends (paid) / received	0
Interest (payments) / received	0	0	0
Proceeds from Intercompany Debt		0	0
Net cash from financing activities	1,217,868	258,740	(32,230)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash	(484)	423	2,473
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(30,887)	(41,487)	68,664
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	260,723	302,210	233,546
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 229,836	$ 260,723	$ 302,210