CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 874,181	$ 663,319
Costs and Expenses:
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation shown below)	482,356	367,340
Depreciation - cost of revenues	22,641	14,648
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	202,488	214,863
Depreciation – selling, general and administrative expenses	7,499	4,118
Amortization	18,274	8,797
Total Costs and Expenses	733,258	609,766
Income from Operations	140,923	53,553
Other Income (Expense):
Interest income	21	35
Interest expense	(24,062)	(18,633)
Other expense, net	(1,251)	(598)
Total Other Expense	(25,292)	(19,196)
Income Before Income Taxes	115,631	34,357
Income tax expense	38,036	5,065
Net Income	77,595	29,292
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	809	352
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	76,786	28,940
Less: mandatory convertible preferred stock dividend	10,106	0
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders	$ 66,680	$ 28,940
Earnings Per Common Share Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.79	$ 0.34
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 0.34
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	84,705,000	85,037,823
Diluted (in shares)	85,845,501	86,357,006