GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS - Changes in Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Finite-lived and Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period			$ 1,791.5	$ 1,862.0	$ 1,862.0
Intangible assets acquired during the year			22.7		28.2
Valuation adjustments for prior year acquisitions			0.6		7.9
Amounts reclassified to assets held for sale			(14.4)		(2.6)
Impairments during the year			(5.7)		(21.0)
Amortization during the year	$ (31.8)	$ (29.9)	(96.6)	$ (88.5)	(118.4)
Changes due to foreign currency fluctuations			(27.5)		35.4
End of period	$ 1,670.6		$ 1,670.6		$ 1,791.5

Finite-lived and Indefinite-lived intangible assets acquired.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	srcl_FiniteLivedAndIndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	srcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Intangible assets excluding goodwill valuation adjustments for prior year acquisitions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Intangible assets reclassified to assets held for sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	srcl_IntangibleAssetsReclassifiedToAssetsHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	srcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance, with a finite life or projected indefinite period of benefit, for foreign currency translation adjustments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of an intangible asset (excluding goodwill) to fair value.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph ((a)(1),(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant