Debt (Details) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Secured Credit Agreement USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Revolving Loans USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan A (170 million AUD) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan A (170 million AUD) AUD	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan A (170 million AUD) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan B USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan B USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan C (116 million CAD) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan C (116 million CAD) CAD	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan C (116 million CAD) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan D (141 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan D (141 million EUR) EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan D (141 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Fourth Amended and Restated Secured Credit Agreement, Term Loan A USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Fourth Amended and Restated Secured Credit Agreement, Term Loan B USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Fourth Amended and Restated Secured Credit Agreement, Term Loan C USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Fourth Amended and Restated Secured Credit Agreement, Term Loan D USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2014	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2014 (225 million EUR) EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2014 (225 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 3.00%, Exchangeable, due 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 3.00%, Exchangeable, due 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 3.00%, Exchangeable, due 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 7.375%, due 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 7.375%, due 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 7.375%, due 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.875%, due 2017 (300 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.875%, due 2017 (300 million EUR) EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.875%, due 2017 (300 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.875%, due 2017 (300 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2020 (500 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2020 (500 million EUR) EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2020 (500 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 6.75%, due 2020 (500 million EUR) USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Payable to OI Inc. USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Payable to OI Inc. USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Payable to OI Inc. USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Other debt USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Other debt USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Other debt USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Accounts Receivable Securitization Program USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Accounts Receivable Securitization Program USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Accounts Receivable Securitization Program USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 European Accounts Receivable Securitization Program EUR (€)
Debt Instrument
Total long-term debt	$ 3,811	$ 3,703	$ 4,126		$ 55	$ 177	170	$ 173	$ 600	$ 600	$ 117	116	$ 114	$ 188	€ 141	$ 182	$ 93	$ 190	$ 114	$ 268		$ 400	€ 225	$ 318	$ 628	$ 624	$ 611	$ 588	$ 588	$ 586	$ 401	€ 300	$ 388	$ 425	$ 668	€ 500	$ 647	$ 708	$ 250	$ 250	$ 250	$ 139	$ 137	$ 163
Less amounts due within one year	87	76	135
Long-term debt	3,724	3,627	3,991
Interest rate, stated percentage (as a percent)																					6.75%		6.75%		3.00%			7.375%			6.875%	6.875%			6.75%	6.75%
Maximum Borrowing Capacity					900																																											280
Unused Credit				749
Weighted Average Interest Rate (as a percent)				2.82%
Short-term loans and long-term debt due within one year	406	406	372																																										276	281	222
Weighted average interest rate, short-term debt (as a percent)																																													1.42%	2.41%	2.85%
Principal Amount																									690			600			401				668
Indicated Market Price (in dollars per share)																									$ 98.12			$ 112.74			$ 103.11				$ 106.02
Fair Value																									$ 677			$ 676			$ 413				$ 708