Restructuring (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Restructuring And Related Activities [Abstract]

Recorded Restructuring Activities

Cabot’s restructuring activities were recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:

	Years Ended September 30
	2017		2016		2015
	(In millions)
Cost of sales	$	2	$	33	$	10
Selling and administrative expenses		1		9		11
Research and development expenses		—		5		—
Total	$	3	$	47	$	21

Restructuring Activities and Related Reserves

Details of all restructuring activities and the related reserves for fiscal 2015, 2016, and 2017 were as follows:

	Severance and Employee Benefits			Environmental Remediation			Non-Cash Asset Impairment and Accelerated Depreciation			Asset Sales			Other			Total
	(In millions)
Reserve at September 30, 2014	$	16		$	2		$	—		$	—		$	1		$	19
Charges		9			—			5			—			7			21
Costs charged against liabilities (assets)		—			—			(5	)		—			—			(5	)
Cash paid		(18	)		—			—			—			(6	)		(24	)
Foreign currency translation adjustment		(2	)		—			—			—			—			(2	)
Reserve at September 30, 2015		5			2			—			—			2			9
Charges		28			—			23			(9	)		5			47
Costs charged against liabilities (assets)		—			—			(23	)		(7	)		—			(30	)
Cash paid		(30	)		—			—			16			(7	)		(21	)
Foreign currency translation adjustment		—			—			—			—			—			—
Reserve at September 30, 2016		3			2			—			—			—			5
Charges		1			1			—			—			1			3
Costs charged against liabilities (assets)		—			—			—			—			1			1
Cash (paid) received		(3	)		(1	)		—			—			(2	)		(6	)
Foreign currency translation adjustment		—			—			—			—			—			—
Reserve at September 30, 2017	$	1		$	2		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	3