The charge against earnings in the period for known or estimated future costs arising from requirements to perform environmental remediation activities.

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Reportable Business Segment Information (Geographic Information) (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	Jul. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 3,696	$ 3,872	$ 4,100	$ 3,662	$ 3,707	$ 3,935	$ 4,082	$ 3,636	$ 15,330	$ 15,360	$ 14,265
Segment income									2,424	2,237	1,923
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,017				3,092				3,017	3,092	2,876
PPG percent ownership interest												40.00%
Environmental remediation charge									9	144	108
Business restructuring									140	0	98
United States
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									6,389	6,323	5,712
Segment income									1,258	1,167	1,031
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,460				1,386				1,460	1,386	1,285
Other Americas
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									2,237	1,718	1,445
Segment income									272	175	117
Property, plant and equipment, net	321				461				321	461	153
Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”)
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									4,270	4,802	4,650
Segment income									528	576	475
Property, plant and equipment, net	805				831				805	831	935
Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									2,434	2,517	2,458
Segment income									366	319	300
Property, plant and equipment, net	$ 431				$ 414				431	$ 414	503
Segment, Discontinued Operations
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
PPG percent ownership interest					40.00%					40.00%
Performance Coatings Segment
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									8,765	$ 8,698	7,934
Segment income									1,302	1,205	1,043
Industrial Coatings Segment
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales									5,477	5,553	5,265
Segment income									$ 985	951	824
Legacy Chemical Sites [Member] [Domain]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Environmental remediation charge										$ 138	$ 101