The limit of employer contributions to the plan per calendar year.

No definition available.

Name:	bll_DeferredCompensationAnnualEmployerContributionLimit
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This represents the number of shares of entity's common stock value for each unit held.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DeferredCompensationNumberOfCommonStockSharesPerStockUnit
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the employer matching contribution of the amounts deferred into the deferred compensation stock plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DeferredCompensationPlanEmployerMatchOfEmployeeDeferredCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the first level of employee contributions (percentage of compensation) which are matched by the employer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchEmployeeContributionLevelOne
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the second level of employee contributions (percentage of compensation) which are matched by the employer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchEmployeeContributionLevelTwo
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the employer matching contribution of the first level of employee contributions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchLevelOne
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the employer matching contribution of the second level of employee contributions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchLevelTwo
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The limit of annual employer performance-based matching cash contributions to the plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerPerformanceBasedMatchingCashContributionLimit
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized for the performance-based cash contribution made by the entity during the period for defined contribution plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bll_DefinedContributionPlanPerformanceBasedCashContributionCostRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	bll_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of effect of a one-percentage-point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (m)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of effect of a one-percentage-point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointDecreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnAccumulatedPostretirementBenefitObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The assumed health care cost trend rate for the next year used to measure the expected cost of benefits covered by the plan (gross eligible charges). This is based upon the annual rate of change in the cost of health care benefits currently provided by the postretirement benefit plan, due to factors other than changes in the composition of the plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Health Care Cost Trend Rate
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6514820

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The ultimate trend rate for health care costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPensionAndOtherPostretirementPlansDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 70
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170846&loc=d3e28014-114942

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bll_AerospaceAndTechnologiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Namespace Prefix:
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Employee Benefit Obligations (Details 6) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Employee Benefit Obligations (Details 6) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred Compensation Plans
Employer match of deferred compensation (as a percent)	20.00%
Employer contribution limit per calendar year	$ 20,000
Number of shares, value equivalent, for each stock unit	1
Other Benefit Plans
Percentage of eligible compensation, matched 100% by employer	3.00%
Percentage of eligible compensation, matched 50% by employer	2.00%
Employer match of employee contributions of first 3% of eligible compensation (as a percent)	100.00%
Employer match of employee contributions of next 2% of eligible compensation (as a percent)	50.00%
Expense associated with the company match	$ 23,600,000	$ 23,600,000	$ 23,500,000
Aerospace & technologies
Employee Benefit Obligations
Performance-based matching cash contributions by employer limit (as a percent of base salary)	4.00%
Additional compensation expense related to performance-based program recognized	$ 0	$ 4,700,000	$ 0
Other post retirement benefits
Employee Benefit Obligations
Increase in the total of service and interest cost due to one-percentage point increase in assumed health care cost trend rate	200,000
Decrease in the total of service and interest cost due to one-percentage point decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate	(200,000)
Increase in the postretirement benefit obligation due to one-percentage point increase in assumed health care cost trend rate	2,900,000
Decrease in the postretirement benefit obligation due to one-percentage point decrease in assumed health care cost trend rate	$ (2,800,000)
U.S. health care plans
Employee Benefit Obligations
Health care cost trend rate used for pre-65 and post-65 benefits (as a percent)	7.50%
Rate to which the health care cost trend rate is assumed to decline (as a percent)	5.00%
Canadian plans
Employee Benefit Obligations
Health care cost trend rate used for pre-65 and post-65 benefits (as a percent)	4.50%
Rate to which the health care cost trend rate is assumed to decline (as a percent)	5.00%