| 
           RESTRUCTURING, IMPAIRMENT AND PLANT CLOSING COSTS (Details 3) (USD $) 
        In Millions, unless otherwise specified  | 
        12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 
           Dec. 31, 2012 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2012
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2012
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2009
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Performance Products 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Performance Products 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Discontinued Operations 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Discontinued Operations 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Discontinued Operations 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2005 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2005 initiatives
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2005 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2006 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2006 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2006 initiatives and prior 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2006 initiatives and prior
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2006 initiatives and prior
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2007 initiatives and prior 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2007 initiatives and prior
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2008 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2008 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2008 initiatives
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2008 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2008 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2008 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2008 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2009 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2009 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2009 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2009 initiatives
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2010 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2010 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2010 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Performance Products 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Performance Products 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2010 initiatives
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2011 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2011 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2011 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2011 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2011 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2011 initiatives
 
          Textile Effects 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          2011 initiatives
 
          Pigments 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2012 initiatives 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2012 initiatives
 
          Polyurethanes 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2012 initiatives
 
          Advanced Materials 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          2012 initiatives
 
          Corporate and other 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010
 
          2005 initiatives and prior 
         | 
      |
| Accrued restructuring costs rollforward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued liabilities at the beginning of the period | $ 92 | $ 49 | $ 75 | $ 2 | $ 1 | $ 1 | $ 12 | $ 2 | $ 7 | $ 69 | $ 25 | $ 17 | $ 3 | $ 8 | $ 11 | $ 8 | $ 34 | $ 6 | $ 4 | $ 2 | $ 1 | $ 2 | $ 11 | $ 16 | $ 63 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring charges | 1 | 32 | 5 | 38 | 20 | 4 | 22 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 89 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 65 | 3 | 69 | 38 | 30 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reversal of reserves no longer required | (16) | (5) | (7) | (1) | (3) | (16) | (4) | (1) | (2) | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring payments | (2) | (1) | (1) | (3) | (3) | (3) | (2) | (1) | (3) | (3) | (2) | (7) | (1) | (1) | (5) | (1) | (1) | (6) | (12) | (16) | (1) | (1) | (3) | (2) | (5) | (11) | (8) | (3) | (4) | (21) | (3) | (2) | (1) | (1) | (15) | (1) | (6) | (2) | (37) | (14) | (14) | (7) | (23) | (5) | (2) | (18) | (12) | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net activity of discontinued operations | (2) | (26) | (2) | (26) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency effect on liability balance | 4 | (10) | 4 | 1 | 2 | (2) | 2 | (8) | 3 | (1) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued liabilities at the end of the period | 105 | 92 | 49 | 27 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 12 | 2 | 42 | 69 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 34 | 63 | 53 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current portion of restructuring reserves | 93 | 91 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 31 | 1 | 6 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term portion of restructuring reserve | 12 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated additional future charges for current restructuring projects | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated additional charges within one year | 100 | 3 | 17 | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated additional charges beyond one year | $ 2 | $ 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||