Cover Page - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Feb. 22, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2020
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-37556
Entity Registrant Name	Stericycle, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	36-3640402
Entity Address, Address Line One	2355 Waukegan Road
Entity Address, City or Town	Bannockburn
Entity Address, State or Province	IL
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	60015
City Area Code	847
Local Phone Number	367-5910
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	SRCL
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 5,120,550,890
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		91,609,194
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Information required by Items 10, 11, 12 and 13 of Part III of this Report is incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Entity Central Index Key	0000861878