Legal Proceedings (Details)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Legal Proceedings
Number of lawsuits filed by the plaintiffs	5
Number of other U.S. and Canadian containerboard producers	PCA and eight other U.S. and Canadian containerboard producers were named as defendants

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration