CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 146,942,461	$ 258,904,867
Cost of revenues	136,246,273	246,999,109
Gross profit	10,696,188	11,905,758
Reduction of contingent liability	(6,069,000)	(5,248,588)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	24,046,464	19,089,545
Depreciation and amortization	6,636,593	4,277,843
Acquisition related expenses	175,172	3,813,668
Inventory impairment charge	0	467,911
Total selling, general and administrative expenses	24,789,229	22,400,379
Loss from operations	(14,093,041)	(10,494,621)
Other income (expense)
Provision for doubtful accounts	(654,820)	0
Goodwill impairment	(4,922,353)	0
Other income (expense)	(4,446)	333,612
Gain on bargain purchase	0	6,948,686
Gain (loss) on sale of assets	13,944	(10,866)
Gain on change in value of derivative liability	5,479,463	0
Realized gain on futures contracts	551,090	0
Interest expense	(3,580,726)	(2,636,690)
Total other income (expense)	(3,117,848)	4,634,742
Loss before income taxes	(17,210,889)	(5,859,879)
Income tax expense	(5,306,000)	(11,763)
Net loss	(22,516,889)	(5,871,642)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	325,399
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(22,516,889)	(5,546,243)
Less: accrual of dividends on series B	(780,069)	0
Less: accretion of discount on series B	(805,742)	0
Less: other	0	0
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (24,102,700)	$ (5,546,243)
Earnings per common share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.86)	$ (0.23)
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.86)	$ (0.23)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	28,181,096	23,807,780
Diluted (in shares)	28,181,096	23,807,780