NONCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES AND RELATED COMPANY TRANSACTIONS, Schedule of the Company's Direct or Indirect Ownership Interest in Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliates (Details)	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Americas Styrenics LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	0.00%	[1]	0.00%	[1]	50.00%	[1]
Compania Mega S.A. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	28.00%		28.00%		28.00%
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	42.50%		42.50%		42.50%
Equipolymers [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	0.00%	[2]	50.00%	[2]	50.00%	[2]
The Kuwait Olefins Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	42.50%		42.50%		42.50%
MEGlobal [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%	[2]	50.00%	[2]	50.00%	[2]
Siam Polyethylene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	49.00%		49.00%		49.00%
Siam Polystyrene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Siam Styrene Monomer Co, Ltd [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%
Univation Technologies, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	50.00%		50.00%		50.00%

[1] On June 17, 2010, the Company completed the sale of its ownership interest in Americas Styrenics LLC.

[2] On July 1, 2011, Equipolymers was merged into MEGlobal.