Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details)		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			21 Months Ended	27 Months Ended
	Nov. 07, 2022 USD ($) Jointventureinterest	Aug. 31, 2023 USD ($) Jointventureinterest	Aug. 31, 2023 USD ($) Segment Jointventureinterest shares	Aug. 31, 2022 USD ($) Jointventureinterest	Aug. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2023 USD ($) Jointventureinterest	Aug. 31, 2023 USD ($) Jointventureinterest	May 31, 2022 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of operating segments | Segment			1
Number of reportable segments | Segment			1
Bank Overdrafts		$ 62,000,000	$ 62,000,000	$ 56,000,000		$ 62,000,000	$ 62,000,000
Allowance for Credit losses		2,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000		2,000,000	2,000,000
Repayment of Advances with Scrap Metal			13,000,000	11,000,000	$ 10,000,000
Property, plant and equipment, net		706,805,000	706,805,000	664,120,000		706,805,000	706,805,000
Insurance receivable				0	10,000,000
Impairment in other loss, net			4,000,000
Fair value adjustment of equity investment			1,000,000
Equity investment to fair value		1,000,000	1,000,000			1,000,000	1,000,000
Gain on insurance receivable recognized			$ 16,000,000	17,000,000
Increase in insurance receivable				25,000,000
Insurance recovery gain		$ 27,000,000		$ 15,000,000			$ 34,000,000
Gain on Business Interruption Insurance Recovery, Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible Enumeration]			Cost of Goods and Services Sold	Cost of Goods and Services Sold
Received payment related to claims from various insurers			$ 22,000,000	$ 30,000,000
Insurance amount received				25,000,000
Capitalized cloud computing implementation costs			5,000,000	$ 10,000,000
Impairment charges related to carrying value of plant and equipment assets lost in or damaged by fire						7,000,000
Impairment associated with previously capitalized cloud computing arrangement implementation costs			$ 5,000,000
Loss incurred due to fire						$ 27,000,000
Number of Equity Method Investments | Jointventureinterest	1	1	1	2		1	1
Proceeds from sale of equity method investments	$ 2,000,000
Deposits related to environmental settlements		$ 7,000,000	$ 7,000,000	$ 7,000,000		$ 7,000,000	$ 7,000,000
Cumulative Undistributed Earnings, Equity Method Joint Ventures		9,000,000	9,000,000			9,000,000	9,000,000
Goodwill impairment charges			39,270,000	0	0
Advertising Expense			5,000	$ 6,000	6,000
Percentage likelihood of tax benefit being realized upon settlement with tax authority				50.00%
Cash, FDIC Insured Amount		250,000	250,000			250,000	250,000
Operating Lease
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, net		13,000,000	$ 13,000,000	$ 13,000,000		13,000,000	13,000,000
Class A Common Stock
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Stock, Voting Rights			one
Number Of Shares Class B Common Stock Convertible To Class A Common Stock | shares			1
Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock Reserved For Class B Common Stock | shares			1
Class B Common Stock
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Stock, Voting Rights			one
Impairment Associated with Abandonment of Obsolete Machinery and Equipment Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges, net				2,000,000
Cost of Goods Sold
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Gain on insurance receivable recognized					$ 10,000,000
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Prepaid expense		27,000,000	$ 27,000,000	43,000,000		27,000,000	27,000,000
Other Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Insurance receivable		14,000,000	14,000,000	28,000,000		14,000,000	14,000,000
Property loss and damage and business interruption claims environmental claims insurance receivable		1,000,000	1,000,000			1,000,000	1,000,000
Third party claims insurance receivable		1,000,000	1,000,000	6,000,000		1,000,000	1,000,000
Environmental claims insurance receivable		10,000,000	10,000,000	7,000,000		10,000,000	10,000,000
Workers' Compensation insurance receivables		2,000,000	2,000,000	4,000,000		2,000,000	2,000,000
Investment, Carrying Value		5,000,000	5,000,000	5,000,000		5,000,000	5,000,000
Other Accrued Liabilities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Received payment related to claims from various insurers				5,000,000
Workers' Compensation Liability		5,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000		5,000,000	5,000,000
Other Current Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Workers' Compensation insurance receivables		2,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 4,000,000		2,000,000	2,000,000
Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Shipment Period			60 days
Short-term election non-cancellable lease term			12 months
Short-term election lease term renewal option			12 months
Maximum | Impairment Associated with Abandonment of Obsolete Machinery and Equipment Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges, net			$ 1,000,000
Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Shipment Period			30 days
US Recycling
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment, Original Cost		$ 6,000,000	$ 6,000,000			$ 6,000,000	$ 6,000,000
Canadian Recycling
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investment, Original Cost								$ 5,000,000
Joint Venture Interests
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	50.00%	50.00%	50.00%	50.00%		50.00%	50.00%
Damage From Fire at Metals Recycling Facility in Everett, Massachusetts
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Insurance receivable		$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 10,000,000		$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000
Received payment related to claims from various insurers			$ 26,000,000	7,000,000
Damage From Fire at Metals Recycling Facility in Everett, Massachusetts | Other Assets
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Insurance receivable				$ 10,000,000