CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF (LOSS) INCOME - USD ($) shares in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 785,000,000.0	$ 830,100,000
Cost of revenues	498,400,000	533,000,000.0
Gross profit	286,600,000	297,100,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	258,700,000	285,800,000
Divestiture losses (gains), net	58,300,000	(5,400,000)
Goodwill impairment	0	20,900,000
Loss from operations	(30,400,000)	(4,200,000)
Interest expense, net	(25,000,000.0)	(27,600,000)
Other expense, net	(2,900,000)	(2,200,000)
Loss before income taxes	(58,300,000)	(34,000,000.0)
Income tax benefit (expense)	38,400,000	(3,600,000)
Net loss	(19,900,000)	(37,600,000)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	200,000	200,000
Net loss attributable to Stericycle, Inc. common shareholders	$ (20,100,000)	$ (37,800,000)
Loss per common share attributable to Stericycle, Inc. common shareholders:
Basic	$ (0.22)	$ (0.42)
Diluted	$ (0.22)	$ (0.42)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	91.3	90.7
Diluted	91.3	90.7