2.2.0.25falsefalse1130 - Disclosure - RESEARCH EXPENDITUREStruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $D2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000031462duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0ecl_ResearchExpendituresDisclosureAbstracteclfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseRESEARCH EXPENDITURES3false0ecl_ResearchExpendituresTextBlockeclfalsenadurationDescription and amounts of research expenditures for the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<table style="font-size:10pt; font-family:'Times New Roman',times,serif;"><tr> <td> <div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt dotted"> <p style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"><b><font style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #0082c7; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" color="#0082C7" size="3">13. RESEARCH EXPENDITURES</font></b></p></div> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" size="2">&nbsp;</font></p> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" size="2">Research expenditures that related to the development of new products and processes, including significant improvements and refinements to existing products are expensed as incurred. Such costs were $88 million in 2010 and $86 million in both 2009 and 2008.</font></p></td></tr></table> 13. RESEARCH EXPENDITURES &nbsp; Research expenditures that related to the development of new products and processes, including significant improvements andfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescription and amounts of research expenditures for the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseRESEARCH EXPENDITURES12RESEARCH EXPENDITURESUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue