CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 890,144	$ 718,596	$ 2,655,946	$ 2,097,604
Costs and Expenses:
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation shown below)	488,154	404,918	1,457,425	1,169,051
Depreciation - cost of revenues	22,730	14,003	68,982	42,723
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	212,117	157,432	636,983	509,047
Depreciation – selling, general and administrative expenses	9,498	4,248	25,097	12,753
Amortization	33,128	9,239	102,311	26,957
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
Other Income (Expense):
Interest income	21	8	51	82
Interest expense	(24,711)	(17,386)	(73,140)	(52,448)
Other expense, net	2,932	(1,754)	(437)	(3,956)
Total Other Expense	(21,758)	(19,132)	(73,526)	(56,322)
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
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	378	457	1,383	1,256
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	64,795	69,449	187,615	186,219
Less: mandatory convertible preferred stock dividend	9,726		29,853
Less: gain on repurchase of preferred stock	(6,467)		(7,747)
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders	$ 61,536	$ 69,449	$ 165,509	$ 186,219
Earnings Per Common Share Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.72	$ 0.82	$ 1.95	$ 2.19
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.72	$ 0.81	$ 1.93	$ 2.16
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	85,044,303	84,884,599	84,881,452	84,960,955
Diluted (in shares)	85,570,529	86,120,315	85,689,525	86,234,859