SEGMENT REPORTING (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 segment	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment reporting information
Number of reportable segments			5
Number of operations for which the revenues are insignificant			2
Third party revenues	$ 907,535	$ 533,806	$ 2,630,226	$ 1,628,946
Intersegment revenues, net
Corporate Items, net
Total revenues	907,535	533,806	2,630,226	1,628,946
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	145,952	100,527	380,770	290,176
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Pre-tax, non-cash acquisition accounting adjustments	0	0	13,559	0
Accretion of environmental liabilities	2,914	2,488	8,628	7,409
Depreciation and amortization	69,430	41,300	196,904	116,794
Income from operations	73,608	56,739	161,679	165,973
Other (income) expense	150	91	(2,030)	465
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	26,385	0	26,385
Interest expense, net of interest income	19,326	11,596	58,784	33,836
Income before provision for income taxes	54,132	18,667	104,925	105,287
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,615,427		1,615,427		1,531,763
Goodwill	590,152		590,152		593,771
Permits and other intangibles, net	567,776		567,776		572,817
Total assets	3,956,852		3,956,852		3,825,806
United States
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Total assets	2,665,328		2,665,328		2,564,609
Canada
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Total assets	1,287,090		1,287,090		1,260,421
Other foreign
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Total assets	4,434		4,434		776
Reportable Segment [Member]
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,615,427		1,615,427		1,531,763
Total Intangible assets	1,157,928		1,157,928		1,166,588
Total assets	3,956,852		3,956,852		3,825,806
Technical Services [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	269,465	247,355	759,666	712,313
Intersegment revenues, net	35,406	6,951	85,614	24,235
Corporate Items, net	964	665	3,155	1,805
Total revenues	305,835	254,971	848,435	738,353
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	78,849	68,241	208,284	188,673
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	398,778		398,778		402,260
Goodwill	47,917		47,917		48,157
Permits and other intangibles, net	81,689		81,689		85,842
Total Intangible assets	129,606		129,606		133,999
Total assets	699,713		699,713		714,777
Oil Re-Refining and Recycling [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	151,565	0	438,191	0
Intersegment revenues, net	(64,918)	0	(186,053)	0
Corporate Items, net	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	86,647	0	252,138	0
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	18,892	0	46,861	0
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	262,745		262,745		224,289
Goodwill	215,816		215,816		215,704
Permits and other intangibles, net	233,259		233,259		222,182
Total Intangible assets	449,075		449,075		437,886
Total assets	833,336		833,336		797,650
S K Environmental Services [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	150,535	0	453,325	0
Intersegment revenues, net	36,516	0	126,441	0
Corporate Items, net	0	0	84	0
Total revenues	187,051	0	579,850	0
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	22,951	0	84,162	0
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	193,760		193,760		195,172
Goodwill	146,956		146,956		148,422
Permits and other intangibles, net	186,043		186,043		190,472
Total Intangible assets	332,999		332,999		338,894
Total assets	642,557		642,557		647,746
Industrial and Field Services [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	227,754	203,371	693,667	608,768
Intersegment revenues, net	(7,322)	(8,877)	(32,316)	(31,246)
Corporate Items, net	73	100	184	48
Total revenues	220,505	194,594	661,535	577,570
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	48,096	43,278	138,638	117,914
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	410,776		410,776		371,335
Goodwill	140,927		140,927		141,726
Permits and other intangibles, net	36,854		36,854		41,143
Total Intangible assets	177,781		177,781		182,869
Total assets	645,183		645,183		607,654
Oil and Gas Field Services [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	107,627	82,812	294,183	306,566
Intersegment revenues, net	318	1,926	6,314	7,011
Corporate Items, net	(114)	(98)	(314)	(391)
Total revenues	107,831	84,640	300,183	313,186
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	20,854	14,132	52,372	62,299
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Property, plant and equipment, net	240,863		240,863		257,985
Goodwill	38,536		38,536		39,762
Permits and other intangibles, net	29,931		29,931		33,178
Total Intangible assets	68,467		68,467		72,940
Total assets	310,481		310,481		348,771
Corporate Items [Member]
Segment reporting information
Third party revenues	589	268	(8,806)	1,299
Intersegment revenues, net	0	0	0	0
Corporate Items, net	(923)	(667)	(3,109)	(1,462)
Total revenues	(334)	(399)	(11,915)	(163)
Adjusted EBITDA, Total	(43,690)	(25,124)	(149,547)	(78,710)
Reconciliation to Consolidated Statements of Income:
Pre-tax, non-cash acquisition accounting adjustments			10,200
Property, plant and equipment, net	108,505		108,505		80,722
Total assets	$ 825,582		$ 825,582		$ 709,208