Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 Y lawsuit agreement contract shareholders segment
Wage hour lawsuits
Number of wage hour lawsuits	5
Number of purported stockholders of Nalco	4
Number of putative class action lawsuits	4
State class
Wage hour lawsuits
Number of wage hour lawsuits	4
National class
Wage hour lawsuits
Number of wage hour lawsuits	1