CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF (LOSS) INCOME - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 3,485.9	$ 3,580.7	$ 3,562.3
Cost of revenues	2,109.9	2,118.2	2,075.4
Gross profit	1,376.0	1,462.5	1,486.9
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,178.4	1,405.1	1,053.1
Goodwill impairment	358.7	65.0
(Loss) Income from operations	(161.1)	(7.6)	433.8
Other income (expense):
Interest income	0.6	0.3
Interest expense	(106.6)	(94.0)	(97.8)
Other expense, net	(8.3)	(6.6)	(7.9)
(Loss) Income before income taxes	(275.4)	(107.9)	328.1
Income tax benefit (expense)	29.8	150.9	(120.2)
Net (loss) income	(245.6)	43.0	207.9
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.9	(0.6)	(1.6)
Net (loss) income attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	(244.7)	42.4	206.3
Mandatory convertible preferred stock dividend	(25.5)	(36.3)	(39.4)
Gain on repurchase of preferred stock	16.9	17.3	11.3
Net (loss) income attributable to Stericycle, Inc. common shareholders	$ (253.3)	$ 23.4	$ 178.2
(Loss) Earnings per common share attributable to Stericycle, Inc. common shareholders:
Basic	$ (2.91)	$ 0.27	$ 2.10
Diluted	$ (2.91)	$ 0.27	$ 2.08
Weighted average number of common shares Outstanding:
Basic	87.1	85.3	84.9
Diluted	87.1	85.6	85.6