EXHIBIT 5.1



                                November 6, 2001



Board of Directors
Stericycle, Inc.
28161 North Keith Drive
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045

                     Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-3
                          Filed Pursuant to Rule 462(b)

Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to Stericycle, Inc. (the "Company") in connection
with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 462(b) (the "Registration
Statement") for the registration (Registration No. 333-68622) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of an additional 28,750 shares of the
Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares").

     As such counsel, we have examined the Registration Statement (including the
prospectus which is part of the registration statement incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement), the Company's certificate of incorporation and
bylaws, each as amended to date, minutes of meetings and records of proceedings
of the Company's Board of Directors and stockholders, and such other matters of
fact and questions of law as we have considered necessary to form the basis of
our opinion. In the course of this examination, we have assumed the genuineness
of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents and certificates submitted
to us as originals by representatives of the Company, public officials and third
parties, and the conformity to and authenticity of the originals of all
documents and certificates submitted to us as copies.

     On the basis of our examination, we are of the opinion that the Company has
duly authorized the issuance of the Shares and that, when issued and delivered
to the Underwriters against payment in accordance with the Underwriting
Agreement dated as of November 6, 2001, entered into by the Company and Credit
Suisse First Boston Corporation, UBS Warburg LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner
& Smith Incorporated, Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., William Blair & Company, L.L.C.,
as



Board of Directors, Inc.
November 6, 2001
Page 2



representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule B to the
Underwriting Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

     We consent to the use of our opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement.


                                Very truly yours,

                                /s/ Johnson and Colmar

                                Johnson and Colmar