Special (Gains) and Charges (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Special (gains) and charges
Nalco merger and integration costs	$ 10.3
Total	23.3	(5.1)	68.0	(1.0)
Total special (gains) and charges	27.8	(5.1)	73.3	(1.0)
Cost of sales
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges	4.5		5.3
Special (gains) and charges.
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges	12.6		52.8
Business structure and optimization	0.3	0.6	1.2	1.8
Cleantec acquisition integration costs	0.1		3.7
Nalco merger and integration costs	10.3		10.3
Gain on sale of investment		(5.9)		(5.9)
Venezuela currency devaluation				4.2
Business write-downs and closure		(0.4)		(1.4)
Other items		0.6		0.3
Total	$ 23.3	$ (5.1)	$ 68.0	$ (1.0)

Costs incurred to effect a business combination which have been expensed during the period. Such costs could include business integration costs, systems integration and conversion costs, and severance and other employee-related costs.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the foreign currency transaction gain or loss incurred during the reporting period.

+ Details

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- Definition

Costs incurred to effect a business combination which have been expensed during the period. Such costs could include legal, accounting, business integration costs, systems integration and conversion costs, severance, other employee-related costs and other costs.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount charged against earnings in the period for costs incurred to optimize business structure.

+ Details

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- Definition

Special gains and charges includes items that are unusual in nature, significant in amount and important to an understanding of underlying business performance.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of the gain or (loss) on the sale of investment that was recorded in special gains and charges in the statement of operations.

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- Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

This element represents the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the investment. The amount is charged to income if the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 16

+ Details

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- Definition

Expenses charged against earnings in the period of an event that is infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature.

+ Details

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- Definition

The aggregate amount of other nonrecurring expenses, not previously categorized, that are infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Amount charged against earnings in the period for incurred and estimated costs, excluding asset retirement obligations, associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a program that is planned and controlled by management, and materially changes either the scope of a business undertaken by an entity, or the manner in which that business is conducted.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section P

-Subsection 3, 4

+ Details

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