Amount charged against sales in the period for costs incurred related to customer agreement modification.

No definition available.

Name:	ecl_CustomerAgreementModification
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the foreign currency transaction gain or loss incurred during the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Special gains and charges includes items that are unusual in nature, significant in amount and important to an understanding of underlying business performance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of the gain (loss) on the sale of investment, litigation related charges and other items that was recorded in special gains and charges in the statement of operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 23

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 59

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Costs incurred to effect a business combination which have been expensed during the period. Such costs could include business integration costs, systems integration and conversion costs, and severance and other employee-related costs.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The difference between the reacquisition price and the net carrying amount of the extinguished debt recognized currently as a component of income in the period of extinguishment, net of tax.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 145

-Paragraph A5

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Section 45

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- Definition

The aggregate amount of other nonrecurring expenses, not previously categorized, that are infrequent in occurrence or unusual in nature.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

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- Definition

Amount charged against earnings in the period for incurred and estimated costs associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a duly authorized plan, excluding asset retirement obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 420

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.P.3)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section P

-Subsection 3, 4

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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SPECIAL (GAINS) AND CHARGES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Special (gains) and charges
Customer agreement modification					$ 29.6
Subtotal	34.7	28.0	41.6	41.4	63.0	23.3	30.1	14.6	145.7	131.0	7.5
Total special (gains) and charges									254.4	171.0	7.5
Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs									155.8	62.8
Acquisition integration charges									155.8	62.8
Champion
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition integration charges									19.4
Net sales
Special (gains) and charges
Customer agreement modification										29.6
Cost of sales
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges									22.7	5.3
Subtotal									93.9	8.9
Cost of sales \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs									71.2	3.6
Special (gains) and charges
Special (gains) and charges
Restructuring charges									116.6	69.0
Gain on sale of businesses, litigation related charges and other									(60.1)	4.3	3.3
Venezuela currency devaluation											4.2
Subtotal									145.7	131.0	7.5
Special (gains) and charges \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs									70.9	57.7
Special (gains) and charges \| Champion
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs									18.3
Interest expense, net
Special (gains) and charges
Debt extinguishment costs									18.2
Acquisition costs									1.1	1.5
Subtotal									19.3	1.5
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest \| Nalco Holding Company ("Nalco")
Special (gains) and charges
Acquisition costs									(4.5)
Operating income subtotal
Special (gains) and charges
Subtotal									$ 239.6	$ 169.5	$ 7.5