Intangible Assets, Period Increase (Decrease)

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	srcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Business For Which Selected Assets Acquired

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	srcl_NumberOfBusinessForWhichSelectedAssetsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	srcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of goodwill arising from a business combination that is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 23

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21917927&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of businesses acquired by the entity during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended																							3 Months Ended																							9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Entity	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 United States Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Argentina Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Brazil Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Canada Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Chile Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Japan Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Mexico Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Portugal Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Romania Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Spain Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 United Kingdom Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 International	Sep. 30, 2013 Customer relationships	Sep. 30, 2013 Customer relationships Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 Customer relationships Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 Tradenames	Sep. 30, 2013 Tradenames Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 Tradenames Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 Covenants not-to-compete	Sep. 30, 2013 Covenants not-to-compete Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 Covenants not-to-compete Maximum	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] United States Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] United States Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] United States Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Argentina Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Canada Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Canada Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Chile Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Japan Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Japan Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Mexico Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Portugal Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Portugal Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Romania Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Romania Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Romania Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Spain Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Spain Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] United Kingdom Entity	Mar. 31, 2013 Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] United Kingdom Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Patient Communication Services United States Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Patient Communication Services United Kingdom Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Regulated Recall And Returns Management Services [Member] United Kingdom Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Acquisitions Customer relationships Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Acquisitions Customer relationships Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Acquisitions Tradenames Minimum	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Acquisitions Tradenames Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 Acquisitions Covenants not-to-compete	Jun. 30, 2013 Acquisition One [Member] Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Brazil Entity	Jun. 30, 2013 Acquisition Two [Member] Regulated Waste Management Service [Member] Brazil Entity	Sep. 30, 2013 Operating permits	Sep. 30, 2013 Tradenames
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Number of acquisitions completed	17	12	41		12	3	2	2	1	3	1	2	4	2	9											12				2	1	1	1			1		1			1	1		1	3	1	2	1						1	1
Number of businesses for which selected assets were acquired																											5	4	1	1				1	2		1		2	1			1	1	1	1
Business acquisition, ownership percentage acquired																														100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%			51.00%		100.00%			100.00%	100.00%		100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%						100.00%	70.00%
Goodwill period increase decrease			$ 153.5		$ 62.8											$ 90.7
Tax deductible goodwill amount	70.2		70.2
Intangible Assets, Period Increase (Decrease)			79.8														67.9			0.1			0.2																																	5.8	5.8
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life																		14 years	40 years		10 years	40 years		3 years	14 years																								15 years	40 years	10 years	15 years	5 years
Acquisition related expenses			$ 6.2	$ 6.2