2.2.0.25truefalse40802 - Disclosure - EARNINGS PER SHARE (EPS Denominator) (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010918http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/in
stancesharesxbrli02falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_200922130http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/
instancesharesxbrli03falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20083263http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/i
nstancesharesxbrli01false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse
IsReverseSign>http://www.bms.com/taxonomy/role/disclosureearningspershareepsdenominatordetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010918http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/in
stancesharesxbrli02falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_200922130http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/
instancesharesxbrli03falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]
1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20083263http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Basic [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorBasicMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/i
nstancesharesxbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse2false0us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition availabl
e.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse17130000001713falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19740000001974falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse19770000001977falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 171
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 8
falsefalse3false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.bms.com/taxonomy/role/disclosureearningspershareepsdenominatordetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefa
lsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_201022101http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorDilutedMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2
003/instancesharesxbrli05falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_20092280http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorDilutedMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/20
03/instancesharesxbrli06falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis} : Earnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]
1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20083212http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseEarnings Per Share Denominator, Diluted [Member]us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_EarningsPerShareDenominatorDilutedMemberus-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/20
03/instancesharesxbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse17130000001713falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19740000001974falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse19770000001977falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 171
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 8
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToContingentlyIssuableSharesus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10000001falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10000001falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse2100000021falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesShares whose issuance for little or no cash is contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions and shall be considered outstanding and included in the computation of diluted Earnings Per Share.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 171
falsefalse6false0us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangementsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel<
Cell>1truefalsefalse1300000013falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse30000003falsefalsefalsefalsefalse<
/Cell>3truefalsefalse10000001falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesAggregate awards of share options and nonvested shares to be issued to an employee under a share-based compensation arrangement are considered options for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share. Such share-based awards shall be considered to be outstanding as of the grant date for purposes of computing diluted earnings
per share even though their exercise may be contingent upon vesting. Those share-based awards are included in the diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) computation even if the employee may not receive (or be able to sell) the stock until some future date. Accordingly, all shares to be issued shall be included in computing diluted EPS if the effect is dilutive. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements shall be computed using the treasury stock method. If the equity share options or other equity instruments are outstanding for only part of a period, the shares issuable shall be weighted to reflect the portion of the period during which the equity instruments were outstanding.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 20
falsefalse7false0us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstandingus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse17270000001727falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19780000001978falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse19990000001999falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe average number of shares issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS, determined based on the timing of issuance of shares in the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph a
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 128
-Paragraph 8
truefalse37EARNINGS PER SHARE (EPS Denominator) (Details)UnKnownMillionsUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue