NOTES PAYABLE, LONG-TERM DEBT AND AVAILABLE CREDIT FACILITIES (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 05, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 16, 2014 USD ($)
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			$ 0	$ 8	$ 0
Debt instrument covenant, ratio of indebtedness to net capital, maximum			0.65
Amount at which a failure to pay results in default			$ 100
Permitted amount of acceleration of principal which causes default			400
Amount of judgment which causes default			400
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt			32	1,383	$ 2,448
Principal Amount of Subsidiary New Debt Instruments Exchanged	$ 1,220
2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity			5,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity			5,000
Amount of debt, if exceeded, causes company to comply with capitalization ratios			500
InterNotes redeemed [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Repayments of Notes Payable			52
InterNotes issued [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage					2.94%
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt				346	$ 390
Long Term Debt Repayment-Purchase of Ethylene Facility [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Repayments of Debt					346
Long Term Debt Repayment - Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Debt				163	97
Repayments of Debt			128
Long Term Debt entered into by Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt			$ 28	$ 8	69
Public Offering [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount on Issuance							$ 2,000
Three point five percent notes due October 1 2024 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount on Issuance							$ 900
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage							3.50%
Four point two five percent notes due October 1 2034 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount on Issuance							$ 600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage							4.25%
Four point six two five percent notes due October 1 2044 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount on Issuance							$ 500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage							4.625%
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Long-Term Debt						$ 4,672
Senior Notes [Member] | Two point five percent due February 15, 2016 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			2.50%
Repayments of Notes Payable			$ 349
Redemption of InterNotes [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount		$ 724
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Term Loan Facility [Domain]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Repayments of Lines of Credit	300
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Two Point Five Percent Notes Due 2016 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		2.50%		2.50%
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	401
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Tax-exempt bonds due 2014 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Repayments of Notes Payable					124
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Tax-exempt bonds due 2028 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Repayments of Notes Payable					$ 51
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Five Point Seven Percent Notes Due 2018 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.70%		5.70%
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	182
Redemption of Notes [Member] | Four Point Two Five Percent Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.25%		4.25%
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	278
Corporate [Member] | Redemption of InterNotes [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		$ 8
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Tender Offer of Long Term Debt [Member]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	68			$ 68
Chlorine Value Chain [Domain]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	1,161
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	875
Principal Amount of Subsidiary New Debt Instruments Exchanged	1,220
Principal Amount of the Company's Debt Exchanged	1,154
Chlor-Alkali joint venture [Member] | Chlorine Value Chain [Domain]
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	$ 569