RESTATEMENT - Condensed Consolidated Statements (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	$ 212,117	$ 157,432	$ 636,983	$ 509,047
Total costs and expenses	765,627	589,840	2,290,798	1,760,531
Income from operations	124,517	128,756	365,148	337,073
Income before income taxes	102,759	109,624	291,622	280,751
Income tax expense	37,586	39,718	102,624	93,276
Net Income	65,173	69,906	188,998	187,475	$ 268,013
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders	$ 61,536	$ 69,449	$ 165,509	$ 186,219
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.72	$ 0.82	$ 1.95	$ 2.19
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.72	$ 0.81	$ 1.93	$ 2.16
Comprehensive income/ (loss)	$ 48,353	$ 14,754	$ 157,306	$ 88,784
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	$ 47,853	13,110	155,746	87,392
Deferred income taxes			$ 20,579	(15,218)
As Reported
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)		185,932		509,047
Total costs and expenses		618,340		1,760,531
Income from operations		100,256		337,073
Income before income taxes		81,124		280,751
Income tax expense		28,404		91,325
Net Income		52,720		189,426
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders		$ 50,579		$ 186,486
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.60		$ 2.19
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.59		$ 2.16
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ (2,432)		$ 90,735
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		(4,076)		89,343
Deferred income taxes				(17,169)
Adjustment
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)		(28,500)
Total costs and expenses		(28,500)
Income from operations		28,500
Income before income taxes		28,500
Income tax expense		11,314		1,951
Net Income		17,186		(1,951)
Net income attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders		$ 18,870		(267)
Earnings per share - Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.22
Earnings per share - Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.22
Comprehensive income/ (loss)		$ 17,186		(1,951)
Comprehensive income/ (loss) attributable to Stericycle, Inc.		$ 17,186		(1,951)
Deferred income taxes				$ 1,951