CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 891,621	$ 715,689	$ 1,765,802	$ 1,379,008
Costs and Expenses:
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation shown below)	486,915	396,793	969,271	764,133
Depreciation - cost of revenues	23,611	14,072	46,252	28,720
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	222,378	136,752	424,866	351,615
Depreciation – selling, general and administrative expenses	8,100	4,387	15,599	8,505
Amortization	50,909	8,921	69,183	17,718
Total Costs and Expenses	791,913	560,925	1,525,171	1,170,691
Income from Operations	99,708	154,764	240,631	208,317
Other Income (Expense):
Interest income	9	39	30	74
Interest expense	(24,367)	(16,429)	(48,429)	(35,062)
Other expense, net	(2,118)	(1,604)	(3,369)	(2,202)
Total Other Expense	(26,476)	(17,994)	(51,768)	(37,190)
Income Before Income Taxes	73,232	136,770	188,863	171,127
Income tax expense	27,002	48,493	65,038	53,558
Net Income	46,230	88,277	123,825	117,569
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	196	447	1,005	799
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc.	46,034	87,830	122,820	116,770
Less: mandatory convertible preferred stock dividend	10,021	0	20,127	0
Less: gain on repurchase of preferred stock	(1,280)	0	(1,280)	0
Net Income Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders	$ 37,293	$ 87,830	$ 103,973	$ 116,770
Earnings Per Common Share Attributable to Stericycle, Inc. Common Shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44	$ 1.03	$ 1.23	$ 1.37
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ 1.02	$ 1.21	$ 1.35
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	84,893,263	84,961,907	84,799,131	85,000,723
Diluted (in shares)	85,760,686	86,221,034	85,798,892	86,292,816