CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 40,291	$ 55,634
Short-term investments	63	69
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $26,119 in 2016 and $22,329 in 2015	637,921	614,494
Prepaid expenses	52,134	46,740
Other current assets	43,529	44,891
Total Current Assets	773,938	761,828
Property, plant and equipment, less accumulated depreciation of $489,347 in 2016 and $426,019 in 2015	727,774	665,602
Goodwill	3,596,899	3,758,177
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization of $252,590 in 2016 and $151,025 in 2015	1,927,109	1,842,561
Other assets	31,544	36,995
Total Assets	7,057,264	7,065,163
Current Liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	91,008	161,409
Accounts payable	146,400	149,202
Accrued liabilities	211,762	197,329
Deferred revenues	15,536	16,989
Other current liabilities	73,021	62,420
Total Current Liabilities	537,727	587,349
Long-term debt, net of current portion	2,921,770	3,040,352
Deferred income taxes	654,495	608,272
Other liabilities	84,483	81,352
Equity:
Preferred stock (par value $0.01 per share, 1,000,000 shares authorized), Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, 737,000 issued and outstanding in 2016 and 770,000 in 2015	7	8
Common stock (par value $0.01 per share, 120,000,000 shares authorized, 85,060,835 issued and outstanding in 2016 and 84,852,584 issued and outstanding in 2015)	851	849
Additional paid-in capital	1,167,756	1,143,020
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(314,500)	(282,631)
Retained earnings	1,993,343	1,868,645
Total Stericycle, Inc.’s Equity	2,847,457	2,729,891
Noncontrolling interest	11,332	17,947
Total Equity	2,858,789	2,747,838
Total Liabilities and Equity	$ 7,057,264	$ 7,065,163

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.