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Employee Benefit Plans - Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017
Pension Plans [Member] |  |  |  |
Net Periodic Benefit Costs [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Service cost | [1] | $ 6 | $ 9 | $ 8
Interest cost | [2] | 10 | 10 | 8
Curtailment, settlement and other | [2] | (18) | 0 | 0
Expected return on plan assets | [2] | (10) | (12) | (12)
Amortization of prior service credit | [2] | 0 | 0 | 0
Actuarial (gain) loss | [2] | $ 18 | $ (14) | $ 2
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit (Cost) Credit, Immediate Recognition of Actuarial Gain (Loss), Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible List] |  | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember
Total net periodic benefit cost (income) |  | $ 6 | $ (7) | $ 6
Weighted-Average Plan Assumptions [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Discount rate for service cost | [3] | 2.40% | 2.54% | 1.93%
Discount rate for interest cost | [3] | 3.02% | 2.55% | 2.25%
Rate of compensation increase | [3] | 2.52% | 2.53% | 2.81%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets | [3] | 3.44% | 3.36% | 3.44%
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member] |  |  |  |
Net Periodic Benefit Costs [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Service cost | [1] | $ 1 | $ 1 | $ 1
Interest cost | [2] | 2 | 1 | 2
Curtailment, settlement and other | [2] | 0 | 0 | 0
Expected return on plan assets | [2] | 0 | 0 | 0
Amortization of prior service credit | [2] | 0 | 0 | 0
Actuarial (gain) loss | [2] | $ (7) | $ 0 | $ 6
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit (Cost) Credit, Immediate Recognition of Actuarial Gain (Loss), Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible List] |  | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember | ash:OtherNetPeriodicBenefitIncomeCostsMember
Total net periodic benefit cost (income) |  | $ (4) | $ 2 | $ 9
Weighted-Average Plan Assumptions [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Discount rate for service cost | [3] | 4.37% | 3.93% | 3.93%
Discount rate for interest cost | [3] | 3.91% | 3.13% | 2.86%
[1] | Service cost was not impacted by new accounting guidance adopted in 2018 and is therefore still classified within the selling, general and administrative expense and cost of sales captions on the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss). See Note A for additional information.
[2] | These components are now classified within the other net periodic benefit income (costs) caption on the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) due to the adoption of new accounting guidance in 2018. See Note A for additional information.
[3] | The plan assumptions discussed are a blended weighted-average rate for Ashland’s U.S. and non-U.S. plans.

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- Definition The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money for service cost. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of net gain recognized in net periodic benefit cost due to settlements, curtailments and other expense. Curtailments result from an event that significantly reduces the expected years of future service of present employees or eliminates for a significant number of employees the accrual of defined benefits for some or all of their future services. Settlements result from an irrevocable action that relieves the employer (or the plan) of primary responsibility for a benefit obligation and eliminates significant risks related to the obligation and the assets used to effect the settlement. Examples of transactions that constitute a settlement include, but are not limited to, lump-sum cash payments to plan participants in exchange for their rights to receive specified benefits and purchasing nonparticipating annuity contracts to cover vested benefits. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss), recognized immediately as component of net periodic benefit (cost) credit, for change in value of benefit obligation or plan assets from experience different from that assumed, change in actuarial assumption, or consequence of temporarily deviating from substantive plan. Includes, but is not limited to, amount in excess of ten percent of greater of fair value of plan assets or benefit obligation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of prior service cost (credit) recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit) of defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118257860&loc=d3e4179-114921 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 + Details
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- Definition Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Weighted average rate of compensation increase used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of expected return (loss) recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit, calculated based on expected long-term rate of return and market-related value of plan assets of defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118257860&loc=d3e4179-114921 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of cost recognized for passage of time related to defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118257860&loc=d3e4179-114921 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 + Details
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- Definition Indicates line item in statement of income or comprehensive income that includes actuarial gain (loss) recognized immediately as component of net periodic benefit (cost) credit for defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of cost for actuarial present value of benefits attributed to service rendered by employee for defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118257860&loc=d3e4179-114921 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2709-114920 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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