Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Nov. 10, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Aug. 14, 2013
Jul. 29, 2014
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business $ (53,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness          
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Revenue   1,789,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationRevenue        
Number of Previously Shut Down Locations 2pesi_NumberOfPreviouslyShutDownLocations          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net 22,824,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 26,060,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet        
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Discontinued Operation   1,164,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxEffectOfDiscontinuedOperation        
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets, Including Not Held for Sale 701,000pesi_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationIncludingNotHeldForSale 4,481,000pesi_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationIncludingNotHeldForSale        
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities, Including Not Held For Sale 2,727,000pesi_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationIncludingNotHeldForSale 4,596,000pesi_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationIncludingNotHeldForSale        
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable 0us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable 13,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable        
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment 47,123,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment 43,616,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment        
Number Of Remediation Projects 4pesi_NumberOfRemediationProjects          
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies 1,016,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies 1,031,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies        
Accrued Environmental Loss Contingencies, Current 728,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesCurrent          
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Period Increase (Decrease) 15,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesPeriodIncreaseDecrease          
Other Expense [Member] | SYA [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business (53,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember
         
PFSG Facility Fire Damage [Member] | PFSG [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Asset Impairment Charges         130,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
 
Maximum Deductible Amount in Insurance for General Liability         300,000pesi_MaximumDeductibleAmountInInsuranceForGeneralLiability
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
 
Cost Incurred Including Impairment for Property Damage and Disposal   6,859,000pesi_CostIncurredIncludingImpairmentForPropertyDamageAndDisposal
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
       
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities   3,664,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromInsuranceSettlementInvestingActivities
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
391,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromInsuranceSettlementInvestingActivities
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
3,850,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromInsuranceSettlementInvestingActivities
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
   
Insurance Settlements Receivable   2,995,000us-gaap_InsuranceSettlementsReceivable
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= pesi_PFSGFacilityFireDamageMember
       
Assets Held-for-sale [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment 0us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember
45,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember
       
Not Held For Sale [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment 10,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis
= pesi_NotHeldForSaleMember
10,000us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis
= pesi_NotHeldForSaleMember
       
SYA [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses           1,300,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
Disposal Group, Capital Stock Sold, Percentage           100.00%pesi_DisposalGroupCapitalStockSoldPercentage
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
Disposal Group, Working Capital Adjustment (42,000)pesi_DisposalGroupWorkingCapitalAdjustment
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
        60,000pesi_DisposalGroupWorkingCapitalAdjustment
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
Escrow Deposit           50,000us-gaap_EscrowDeposit
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
Escrow Deposit, Term           1 year
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Expense 96,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
         
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business (53,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
         
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Other Income (Loss) from Disposition of Discontinued Operation 0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationTaxEffectOfOtherIncomeLossFromDispositionOfDiscontinuedOperation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
         
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Revenue   2,564,736us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationRevenue
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
       
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Gross Profit (Loss)   (621,288)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationGrossProfitLoss
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_SYAMember
       
PFSG [Member]            
Note 8 - Divestitures and Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]            
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities   1,500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromInsuranceSettlementInvestingActivities
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
       
Tangible Asset Impairment Charges 723,000us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
         
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember
         
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies, Period Increase (Decrease)   $ 15,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= pesi_PFSGMember