Environmental claims insurance receivable.

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Gain (Loss) on Insurance Receivable Recognized

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Initial capital purchases and other costs of assets.

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Property loss and damage and business interruption claims insurance receivable.

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Received payment related to claims from various Insurers.

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Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]

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Workers' compensation insurance receivables.

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Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

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Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of payments made in excess of existing cash balances, which will be honored by the bank but reflected as a loan to the entity. Overdrafts generally have a very short time frame for correction or repayment and are therefore more similar to short-term bank financing than trade financing.

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The amount of cash deposited in financial institutions as of the balance sheet date that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

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No definition available.

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Amount of investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

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The net amount (to the extent disclosed within this portion of the income statement) by which an insurance settlement exceeds incremental costs incurred from the event causing an interruption of business, plus the insurance award for earnings lost from the event, such as a natural catastrophe, explosion or fire.

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Cost of the investment.

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Amount of receivable related to a loss contingency accrual. For example, an insurance recovery receivable.

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Amount of cash inflow from the collection of receivables related to a loss contingency.

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Amount of increase (decrease) of receivables pertaining to a loss contingency.

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The amount of inventory that an Entity acquires in a noncash (or part noncash) acquisition. Noncash is defined as information about all investing and financing activities of an enterprise during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

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Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for costs that provide economic benefits within a future period of one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Cash received for the settlement of litigation during the current period.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2022	Feb. 28, 2022	Nov. 30, 2021	Aug. 31, 2021	May 31, 2022	May 31, 2021	Aug. 31, 2021
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Bank Overdrafts	$ 62,000,000			$ 47,000,000	$ 62,000,000		$ 47,000,000
Repayment of Advances with Scrap Metal					9,000,000	$ 7,000,000
Insurance receivable	0			10,000,000	0		10,000,000
Proceeds from legal settlements					7,000,000		8,000,000
Insurance recovery gain	1,000,000	$ 12,000,000	$ 3,000,000		15,000,000
Increase in insurance receivable	11,000,000				25,000,000
Received payment related to claims from various insurers	7,000,000				30,000,000
Insurance amount received					25,000,000
Impairment charges related to carrying value of plant and equipment assets lost in or damaged by fire		6,000,000
Initial capital purchases and other costs of assets		4,000,000
Cash, FDIC Insured Amount	250,000				250,000
Damage From Fire at Metals Recycling Facility in Everett, Massachusetts
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Insurance receivable	4,000,000				4,000,000
Canadian Recycling
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment, Original Cost	5,000,000				5,000,000
US Recycling
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment, Original Cost	6,000,000				6,000,000
Cost of Goods Sold
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Gain on insurance receivable recognized		$ 10,000,000		10,000,000
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Prepaid expense	33,000,000			22,000,000	33,000,000		22,000,000
Other Noncurrent Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Insurance receivable	14,000,000			21,000,000	14,000,000		21,000,000
Property loss and damage and business interruption claims environmental claims insurance receivable	4,000,000			10,000,000	4,000,000		10,000,000
Environmental claims insurance receivable	5,000,000			6,000,000	5,000,000		6,000,000
Workers' Compensation insurance receivables	4,000,000			4,000,000	4,000,000		4,000,000
Investments, Carrying Value	$ 11,000,000			$ 6,000,000	11,000,000		$ 6,000,000
Other Accrued Liabilities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Received payment related to claims from various insurers					$ 5,000,000