Business and Geographic Segments - Segment Operating Performance (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 324.8	$ 383.2	$ 408.8	$ 416.1	$ 432.0	$ 476.5	$ 491.7	$ 462.4	$ 1,532.9	$ 1,862.6	$ 1,863.6
Cost of sales									1,310.0	1,459.8	1,729.4
Gross margin	27.5	49.8	56.3	89.3	97.0	115.8	104.2	85.8	222.9	402.8	134.2
Operating income (loss)	$ (24.9)	$ (5.0)	$ (10.1)	$ 34.6	$ 40.5	$ 60.2	$ 46.7	$ 22.8	(5.4)	170.2	(138.7)
Equity in earnings of investee											0.5
Securities earnings									26.5	26.9	26.6
Insurance recoveries									3.7	10.4	9.4
Gain on bargain purchase and remeasurement of our existing investment in acquiree											54.6
General expenses, net									(39.6)	(38.8)	(105.3)
Loss on prepayment of debt, net											(8.9)
Interest expense									(59.0)	(56.7)	(56.1)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(73.8)	112.0	(217.9)
Depreciation and amortization									69.9	78.4	74.5
Capital expenditures									54.6	72.7	74.6
Operating Segment | Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,348.8	1,651.9	1,732.4
Cost of sales									1,158.5	1,304.6	1,622.6
Gross margin									190.3	347.3	109.8
Operating income (loss)									7.1	156.8	(125.4)
Depreciation and amortization									44.3	51.9	52.8
Capital expenditures									47.5	61.3	67.6
Operating Segment | Component Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									109.0	103.9	92.0
Cost of sales									75.6	71.6	64.5
Gross margin									33.4	32.3	27.5
Operating income (loss)									14.0	13.6	9.3
Depreciation and amortization									3.5	3.5	3.3
Capital expenditures									4.2	2.8	3.5
Operating Segment | Waste Management
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									45.0	66.5	39.2
Cost of sales									50.5	49.7	42.3
Gross margin									(5.5)	16.8	(3.1)
Operating income (loss)									(26.5)	(2.2)	(22.6)
Depreciation and amortization									19.3	20.3	18.4
Capital expenditures									1.7	4.5	$ 3.5
Operating Segment | Real Estate Management And Development
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									30.1	40.3
Cost of sales									25.4	33.9
Gross margin									4.7	6.4
Operating income (loss)										2.0
Depreciation and amortization									2.8	2.7
Capital expenditures									$ 1.2	4.0
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										$ 0.1