Business Combinations Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 13, 2013 Spartech [Member]	Nov. 03, 2012 Spartech [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Spartech [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Various Spartech Businesses [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Various Spartech Businesses [Member]	Dec. 19, 2012 Glasforms, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Glasforms, Inc. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Glasforms, Inc. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023 [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.250% Senior Notes Due 2023 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										$ 1,200,000
Cash Acquired from Acquisition					4,100,000
Revenue reported by acquired entity for last annual period						1,149,400,000
Net income from continuing operations						2,700,000
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration transferred for each common share					$ 2.67
Exchange ratio					0.3167
Cash consideration transferred to Spartech Shareholders					83,400,000
PolyOne shares issued					10,000,000.0
Stated interest rate					7.08%								5.25%	5.25%
Sales								277,500,000	332,200,000
Fair value of Spartech equity awards, net of deferred tax benefits					2,400,000
Fair Value of Spartech Equity Awards, before deferred tax benefits					3,900,000
Deferred tax benefit					1,500,000
Vested in period, total fair value					2,700,000
Early repayment of senior debt					102,300,000
Business acquisition, repayment of senior notes.					88,900,000		88,900,000
Make-whole provision					10,300,000
Interest payable					3,100,000
Sales	1,037,600,000	756,600,000	1,838,700,000	1,502,100,000							51,100,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred					335,700,000					34,300,000
Goodwill							142,700,000					12,100,000
Amortizable intangible assets							45,300,000					10,700,000
Acquisition related costs			$ 6,000,000