Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

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Note 6 - Long Term Debt - Long-term Debt Instruments (Details) (Parentheticals)

v3.3.0.814

Note 6 - Long Term Debt - Long-term Debt Instruments (Details) (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revolving Credit [Member] \| Prime Rate [Member]
Reference rate	3.25%	3.25%
Basis spread on variable rate	2.00%	2.00%
Revolving Credit [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Basis spread on variable rate	3.00%	3.00%
Revolving Credit [Member]
Effective interest rate	3.80%
Term Loan [Member] \| Prime Rate [Member]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.50%	2.50%
Term Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Basis spread on variable rate	3.50%	3.50%
Term Loan [Member]
Effective interest rate	3.70%	3.70%
Periodic payment, principal	$ 190	$ 190
Promissory Note Dated February 12, 2013 ("New Note") [Member]
Effective interest rate	6.00%	6.00%
Periodic payment, principal	$ 10	$ 10
Promissory Note dated August 2, 2013 [Member]
Effective interest rate	2.99%	2.99%
Periodic payment, principal	$ 125	$ 125
Monthly Installments	2 years	2 years
Effective interest rate	6.00%	6.00%

- Definition

Duration of monthly installments for the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pesi_DebtInstrumentMonthlyInstallments
Namespace Prefix:	pesi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reference rate is used as a base rate to compute the effective interest rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pesi_ReferenceRate
Namespace Prefix:	pesi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments applied to principal.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pesi_RevolvingCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_PrimeRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pesi_TermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pesi_PromissoryNoteDatedFebruary122013NewNoteMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pesi_PromissoryNoteDatedAugust22013Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: