RESTATEMENT - Condensed Consolidated Statements (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	$ 202,488	$ 214,863
Total costs and expenses	733,258	609,766
Income from operations	140,923	53,553
Income before income taxes	115,631	34,357
Income tax expense	38,036	5,065
Net Income	77,595	29,292	$ 268,013
Net income	$ 76,786	$ 28,940
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.79	$ 0.34
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 0.34
Comprehensive income/ (loss)	$ 95,270	$ (39,543)
Comprehensive income/ (loss)attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	94,399	(39,075)
Deferred income taxes	6,932	(29,939)
Accrued liabilities	$ 21,151	109,424
As Reported [Member]
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)		141,363
Total costs and expenses		536,266
Income from operations		127,053
Income before income taxes		107,857
Income tax expense		32,047
Net Income		75,810
Net income		$ 75,458
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.89
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.87
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ 6,975
Comprehensive income/ (loss)attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		7,443
Deferred income taxes		(2,957)
Accrued liabilities		35,924
Adjustment [Member]
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)		73,500
Total costs and expenses		73,500
Income from operations		(73,500)
Income before income taxes		(73,500)
Income tax expense		(26,982)
Net Income		(46,518)
Net income		$ (46,518)
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ (0.55)
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ (0.53)
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ (46,518)
Comprehensive income/ (loss)attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		(46,518)
Deferred income taxes		(26,982)
Accrued liabilities		$ 73,500