5. Restructuring Accruals

Selected information related to the restructuring accruals for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 is as follows:


	European				Other
	Asset		Asia Pacific		Restructuring		Total
	Optimization		Restructuring		Actions		Restructuring
Balance at July 1, 2015	$	11	$	8	$	33	$	52
Charges						35		35
Write-down of assets to net realizable value						(19)		(19)
Net cash paid, principally severance and related benefits				(1)		(4)		(5)
Other, including foreign exchange translation						(1)		(1)
Balance at September 30, 2015	$	11	$	7	$	44	$	62


	European				Other
	Asset		Asia Pacific		Restructuring		Total
	Optimization		Restructuring		Actions		Restructuring
Balance at July 1, 2014	$	20	$	3	$	42	$	65
Charges		1		73		5		79
Write-down of assets to net realizable value				(46)				(46)
Net cash paid, principally severance and related benefits		(3)		(2)		(2)		(7)
Pension charges transferred to other accounts				(7)				(7)
Other, including foreign exchange translation		(2)		(6)		(1)		(9)
Balance at September 30, 2014	$	16	$	15	$	44	$	75

Selected information related to the restructuring accruals for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 is as follows:


	European				Other
	Asset		Asia Pacific		Restructuring		Total
	Optimization		Restructuring		Actions		Restructuring
Balance at January 1, 2015	$	12	$	12	$	36	$	60
Charges				5		52		57
Write-down of assets to net realizable value				(4)		(26)		(30)
Net cash paid, principally severance and related benefits				(5)		(15)		(20)
Other, including foreign exchange translation		(1)		(1)		(3)		(5)
Balance at September 30, 2015	$	11	$	7	$	44	$	62

	European				Other
	Asset		Asia Pacific		Restructuring		Total
	Optimization		Restructuring		Actions		Restructuring
Balance at January 1, 2014	$	30	$	20	$	64	$	114
Charges		1		73		5		79
Write-down of assets to net realizable value				(46)				(46)
Net cash paid, principally severance and related benefits		(8)		(15)		(22)		(45)
Pension charges transferred to other accounts				(7)				(7)
Other, including foreign exchange translation		(7)		(10)		(3)		(20)
Balance at September 30, 2014	$	16	$	15	$	44	$	75

The Company’s decisions to curtail selected production capacity have resulted in write downs of certain long-lived assets to the extent their carrying amounts exceeded fair value or fair value less cost to sell. The Company classified the significant assumptions used to determine the fair value of the impaired assets, which was not material, as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy as set forth in the general accounting principles for fair value measurements.

European Asset Optimization

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded charges of $1 million of employee costs related to the European Asset Optimization program.

Asia Pacific Restructuring

During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company recorded charges of $5 million. These charges primarily represented the write-down of assets as part of the Company’s Asia Pacific Restructuring program.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded charges of $73 million. These charges primarily represented employee costs, write-down of assets, and pension charges that the Company was required to record for the furnace closure announced during the third quarter of 2014.

Other Restructuring Actions

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company recorded charges of $35 million and $52 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, these charges primarily represented employee costs, write-down of assets, and other exit costs of $14 million for furnace closures in Latin America, $35 million of severance and other exit costs related to a plant closure in North America and $3 million related to other restructuring actions.