| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)
 | 12 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 2 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended |  | 
| Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jun. 01, 2008 | May 24, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Jun. 01, 2011 | Aug. 02, 2013 | 
| Mr. David Centofanti [Member] | Director Of Information Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Compensation | $ 163,000us-gaap_SalariesAndWages / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_MrDavidCentofantiMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = pesi_DirectorOfInformationServicesMember
 | $ 163,000us-gaap_SalariesAndWages / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_MrDavidCentofantiMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = pesi_DirectorOfInformationServicesMember
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Mr. Robert L. Ferguson [Member] | Advisor [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Compensation | 56,000us-gaap_SalariesAndWages / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_MrRobertLFergusonMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = pesi_AdvisorMember
 | 52,000us-gaap_SalariesAndWages / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_MrRobertLFergusonMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = pesi_AdvisorMember
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Monthly Consulting Fees | 4,000pesi_MonthlyConsultingFees / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_MrRobertLFergusonMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = pesi_AdvisorMember
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Robert Ferguson And William Lampson, Lenders [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Notes Payable, Related Parties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,000,000us-gaap_NotesPayableRelatedPartiesCurrentAndNoncurrent / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_RobertFregusonAndWilliamLampsonLendersMember
 | 
| Mr. Climaco [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Compensation | 107,000us-gaap_SalariesAndWages / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_Mr.ClimacoMember
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Monthly Consulting Fees |  |  | 22,000pesi_MonthlyConsultingFees / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = pesi_Mr.ClimacoMember
 |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Executive Vice President [Member] | Leichtweis Enterprise, LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating Leases, Rent Expense Monthly |  |  |  | 29,000pesi_OperatingLeasesRentExpenseMonthly / us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis
 = pesi_LeichtweisEnterpriseLLCMember
 / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = us-gaap_ExecutiveVicePresidentMember
 |  |  |  |  | 
| Executive Vice President [Member] | SEC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Indemnified Performance Bonds, Related Party |  |  |  |  |  | 10,900,000pesi_IndemnifiedPerformanceBondsRelatedParty / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SECMember
 / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = us-gaap_ExecutiveVicePresidentMember
 |  |  | 
| Indemnification Compensation, Percentage, Related Party |  |  |  |  |  | 0.75%pesi_IndemnificationCompensationPercentageRelatedParty / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SECMember
 / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = us-gaap_ExecutiveVicePresidentMember
 |  |  | 
| Previous Payment of Indemnified Bonds, Percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00%pesi_PreviousPaymentOfIndemnifiedBondsPercentage / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SECMember
 / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = us-gaap_ExecutiveVicePresidentMember
 |  |  | 
| Consulting Agreement Hourly Rate, Related Party |  |  |  |  | 135pesi_ConsultingAgreementHourlyRateRelatedParty / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SECMember
 / us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
 = us-gaap_ExecutiveVicePresidentMember
 |  |  |  | 
| President [Member] | Lawrence Properties, LLC [Member] | SYA [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Operating Leases, Rent Expense Monthly |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,400pesi_OperatingLeasesRentExpenseMonthly / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SYAMember
 / us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis
 = pesi_LawrencePropertiesLLCMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = us-gaap_PresidentMember
 |  | 
| Operating Leases, Rent Expense | $ 124,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SYAMember
 / us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis
 = pesi_LawrencePropertiesLLCMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = us-gaap_PresidentMember
 | $ 72,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis
 = pesi_SYAMember
 / us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis
 = pesi_LawrencePropertiesLLCMember
 / us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
 = us-gaap_PresidentMember
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |