Intangible Assets, Period Increase (Decrease)

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	srcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56956515&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of goodwill arising from a business combination that is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 23

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

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

- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of businesses acquired by the entity during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=srcl_AcquisitionsYear2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=srcl_InternationalMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_BR
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_ES
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_MX
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- Details

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ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	15us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Net increase in Goodwill	$ 41,200,000us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Tax deductible Goodwill amount	6,000,000
Selling, general and administrative
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition related expenses	3,296,000	3,221,000
Customer relationships \| Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life	10 years
Customer relationships \| Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life	40 years
Acquisitions Year 2015 \| Customer relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net increase in Intangible Assets	19,800,000
Acquisitions Year 2015 \| Customer relationships \| Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life	15 years
Acquisitions Year 2015 \| Customer relationships \| Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life	20 years
Brazil
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
Ireland
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	1
Mexico
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
Romania
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
Republic of Korea
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	3
Spain
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	1
Domestic
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	4
Domestic
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net increase in Goodwill	12,200,000
Domestic \| Acquisition One \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	1
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired	100.00%
Domestic \| Acquisition Two \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	3
International
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net increase in Goodwill	$ 29,000,000
International \| Brazil \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired	100.00%
International \| Ireland \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	1
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired	100.00%
International \| Mexico \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired	100.00%
International \| Romania \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	2
International \| Republic of Korea \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	3
International \| Spain \| Regulated and Compliance Solutions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions	1