Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 17 - Segment Reporting (Details) - Segment Revenue by Customer

v2.4.1.9
Note 17 - Segment Reporting (Details) - Segment Revenue by Customer (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
USEC [Member] | Treatment [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues $ 9,309,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_USECMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_TreatmentMember
$ 2,037,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_USECMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_TreatmentMember
USEC [Member] | Services [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues 963,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_USECMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_ServicesMember
 
USEC [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues 10,272,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_USECMember
2,037,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_USECMember
CH Plateau Remediation Company [Member] | Treatment [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues 5,594,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_TreatmentMember
2,268,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_TreatmentMember
CH Plateau Remediation Company [Member] | Services [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues 168,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_ServicesMember
17,654,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= pesi_ServicesMember
CH Plateau Remediation Company [Member]    
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]    
Revenues $ 5,762,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember
$ 19,922,000us-gaap_Revenues
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= pesi_CHPlateauRemediationCompanyMember