Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Cover
- Document And Entity Information
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
Accounting Policies
- Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
Notes Tables
Notes Details

Note 4 - Capital Stock, Stock Plans and Stock-based Compensation (Details Textual)

v3.4.0.3

Note 4 - Capital Stock, Stock Plans and Stock-based Compensation (Details Textual) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
The 2003 Outside Directors Stock Plan [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Share-based Compensation, Gross	14,354
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 60,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Net of Forfeitures	0	0
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Lower Range Limit	$ 2.79
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Upper Range Limit	$ 14.75
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 59,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized, Next Twelve Months	40,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost not yet Recognized in Year Two	19,000
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 28,000	$ 33,000

- Definition

Represents unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested share options to be recognized during the next twelve months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pesi_EmployeeServiceSharebasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	pesi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested share options to be recognized during year two.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pesi_EmployeeServiceSharebasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedInYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	pesi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The floor of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The ceiling of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross number of shares (or other type of equity) issued during the period as a result of any equity-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Shares issued could result from the issuance of restricted stock, the exercise of stock options, stock issued under employee stock purchase plans, and/or other employee benefit plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=pesi_The2003OutsideDirectorsStockPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: