RESTATEMENT - Condensed Consolidated Statements (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	$ 222,378	$ 136,752	$ 424,866	$ 351,615
Total costs and expenses	791,913	560,925	1,525,171	1,170,691
Income from operations	99,708	154,764	240,631	208,317
Income before income taxes	73,232	136,770	188,863	171,127
Income tax expense	27,002	48,493	65,038	53,558
Net Income	46,230	88,277	123,825	117,569	$ 268,013
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	$ 46,034	$ 87,830	$ 122,820	$ 116,770
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44	$ 1.03	$ 1.23	$ 1.37
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ 1.02	$ 1.21	$ 1.35
Comprehensive income/ (loss)	$ 13,683	$ 113,573	$ 108,953	$ 74,030
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	$ 13,494	113,357	107,893	74,282
Deferred income taxes			4,515	(8,390)
Accrued liabilities			$ (13,303)	51,071
As Reported
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)		181,752		323,115
Total costs and expenses		605,925		1,142,191
Income from operations		109,764		236,817
Income before income taxes		91,770		199,627
Income tax expense		30,874		62,921
Net Income		60,896		136,706
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		$ 60,449		$ 135,907
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.71		$ 1.60
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.70		$ 1.57
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ 86,192		$ 93,167
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		85,976		93,419
Deferred income taxes				973
Accrued liabilities				22,571
Adjustment
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)		(45,000)		28,500
Total costs and expenses		(45,000)		28,500
Income from operations		45,000		(28,500)
Income before income taxes		45,000		(28,500)
Income tax expense		17,619		(9,363)
Net Income		27,381		(19,137)
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		$ 27,381		$ (19,137)
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32		$ (0.23)
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32		$ (0.22)
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ 27,381		$ (19,137)
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		$ 27,381		(19,137)
Deferred income taxes				(9,363)
Accrued liabilities				$ 28,500