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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015
Feb. 28, 2014
Feb. 28, 2015
Feb. 28, 2014
Nov. 30, 2014
Aug. 31, 2014
Schedule of Asset Impairments [Line Items]            
APB other exit-related costs     $ 6,352,000schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation $ 566,000schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation    
Total long-lived asset impairment charges 44,210,000schn_ImpairmentofLonglivedAssetsHeldandUsedandOtherExitRelatedImpairmentCharges 0schn_ImpairmentofLonglivedAssetsHeldandUsedandOtherExitRelatedImpairmentCharges 44,210,000schn_ImpairmentofLonglivedAssetsHeldandUsedandOtherExitRelatedImpairmentCharges 0schn_ImpairmentofLonglivedAssetsHeldandUsedandOtherExitRelatedImpairmentCharges    
Long-lived assets 41,544,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse 41,544,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse    
Assets held for sale 1,549,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsToBeDisposedOf 928,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsToBeDisposedOf 1,549,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsToBeDisposedOf 928,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsToBeDisposedOf    
Other 745,000schn_AssetImpairmentChargesOther 0schn_AssetImpairmentChargesOther 745,000schn_AssetImpairmentChargesOther 0schn_AssetImpairmentChargesOther    
Other Asset Impairment Charges 43,838,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges 928,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges 43,838,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges 928,000us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges    
Book Overdrafts 22,000,000schn_BookOverdrafts   22,000,000schn_BookOverdrafts     35,000,000schn_BookOverdrafts
Number of Days Used To Determine Short Term Highly Liquid Investments Treatment As Cash Equivalents     90 days      
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses         8,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses 8,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses
Assets Held-for-sale, Current 3,000,000us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleCurrent   3,000,000us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleCurrent     3,000,000us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleCurrent
Goodwill impairment charge 141,021,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 141,021,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss    
Cash, FDIC Insured Amount 250,000us-gaap_CashFDICInsuredAmount   250,000us-gaap_CashFDICInsuredAmount      
Customer Issued Letters Of Credit 24,000,000schn_CustomerIssuedLettersOfCredit   24,000,000schn_CustomerIssuedLettersOfCredit     74,000,000schn_CustomerIssuedLettersOfCredit
Metals Recycling Business            
Schedule of Asset Impairments [Line Items]            
Long-lived assets 41,544,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_MetalRecyclingBusinessMember
0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_MetalRecyclingBusinessMember
41,544,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_MetalRecyclingBusinessMember
0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_MetalRecyclingBusinessMember
   
Goodwill impairment charge     141,021,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_MetalRecyclingBusinessMember
     
Auto Parts Business            
Schedule of Asset Impairments [Line Items]            
Goodwill impairment charge     0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_AutoPartsBusinessMember
     
Asset Impairments | Auto Parts Business            
Schedule of Asset Impairments [Line Items]            
APB other exit-related costs $ 2,666,000schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= schn_AssetImpairmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_AutoPartsBusinessMember
$ 0schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= schn_AssetImpairmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_AutoPartsBusinessMember
$ 2,666,000schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= schn_AssetImpairmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_AutoPartsBusinessMember
$ 0schn_RestructuringandRelatedCostsAssetImpairmentChargesandAcceleratedDepreciation
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= schn_AssetImpairmentsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= schn_AutoPartsBusinessMember