Contingent Liabilities and Environmental Reserves	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2011
Contingent Liabilities and Environmental Reserves [Abstract]
CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES	NOTE 14—CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES Litigation-related Liabilities The Company may become involved from time-to-time in litigation and regulatory matters incidental to its business, including governmental investigations, enforcement actions, personal injury claims, product liability, employment health and safety matters, commercial disputes, intellectual property matters, disputes regarding environmental clean-up costs, litigation in connection with acquisitions and divestitures, and other matters arising out of the normal conduct of its business. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in such litigation. The Company does not believe that the outcome of any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements. The Company may accrue for contingencies related to litigation and regulatory matters if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Because litigation is inherently unpredictable and unfavorable resolutions can occur, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgments about future events. The Company regularly reviews contingencies to determine whether its accruals are adequate. The amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates. Environmental Reserves As of October 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had recorded liabilities of $29.3 million and $26.2 million, respectively, for estimated environmental remediation costs. The liabilities were recorded on an undiscounted basis and are included in other long-term liabilities. As of October 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had recorded environmental liability reserves of $14.0 million and $14.5 million, respectively, for its blending facility in Chicago, Illinois; $9.5 million and $10.3 million, respectively, for our European drum facilities, and $4.2 million related to recent 2011 reconditioning company acquisitions. These reserves are principally based on environmental studies and cost estimates provided by third parties, but also take into account management estimates. The environmental reserves recorded are based upon an evaluation of currently available facts with respect to each individual site, including the results of environmental studies and testing, and considering existing technology, presently enacted laws and regulations, and prior experience in remediation of contaminated sites. The Company initially provides for the estimated cost of environmental-related activities when costs can be reasonably estimated. If the best estimate of costs can only be identified as a range and no specific amount within that range can be determined more likely than any other amount within the range, the minimum of the range is accrued. The estimated liabilities are reduced to reflect the anticipated participation of other potentially responsible parties in those instances where it is probable that such parties are legally responsible and financially capable of paying their respective shares of relevant costs. For sites that involve formal actions subject to joint and several liability, these actions have formal agreements in place to apportion the liability. The Company anticipates that cash expenditures in future periods for remediation costs at identified sites will be made over an extended period of time. Given the inherent uncertainties in evaluating environmental exposures, actual costs may vary from those estimated as of October 31, 2011. As of October 31, 2011 Greif estimated that payments for environmental remediation will be $8.5 million in 2012, $3.4 million in 2013, $1.5 million in 2014, $2.6 million in 2015, $1.7 million in 2016, and $11.6 million thereafter. The Company’s exposure to adverse developments with respect to any individual site is not expected to be material. Although environmental remediation could have a material effect on results of operations if a series of adverse developments occur in a particular quarter or year, the Company believes that the chance of a series of adverse developments occurring in the same quarter or year is remote. Future information and developments will require the Company to continually reassess the expected impact of these environmental matters.

Contingent Liabilities and Environmental Reserves

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Contingent Liabilities and Environmental Reserves [Abstract]

CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES

NOTE 14—CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESERVES

Litigation-related Liabilities

The Company may become involved from time-to-time in litigation and regulatory matters incidental to its business, including governmental investigations, enforcement actions, personal injury claims, product liability, employment health and safety matters, commercial disputes, intellectual property matters, disputes regarding environmental clean-up costs, litigation in connection with acquisitions and divestitures, and other matters arising out of the normal conduct of its business. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself in such litigation. The Company does not believe that the outcome of any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements.

The Company may accrue for contingencies related to litigation and regulatory matters if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Because litigation is inherently unpredictable and unfavorable resolutions can occur, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgments about future events. The Company regularly reviews contingencies to determine whether its accruals are adequate. The amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates.

Environmental Reserves

As of October 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had recorded liabilities of $29.3 million and $26.2 million, respectively, for estimated environmental remediation costs. The liabilities were recorded on an undiscounted basis and are included in other long-term liabilities. As of October 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had recorded environmental liability reserves of $14.0 million and $14.5 million, respectively, for its blending facility in Chicago, Illinois; $9.5 million and $10.3 million, respectively, for our European drum facilities, and $4.2 million related to recent 2011 reconditioning company acquisitions. These reserves are principally based on environmental studies and cost estimates provided by third parties, but also take into account management estimates.

The environmental reserves recorded are based upon an evaluation of currently available facts with respect to each individual site, including the results of environmental studies and testing, and considering existing technology, presently enacted laws and regulations, and prior experience in remediation of contaminated sites. The Company initially provides for the estimated cost of environmental-related activities when costs can be reasonably estimated. If the best estimate of costs can only be identified as a range and no specific amount within that range can be determined more likely than any other amount within the range, the minimum of the range is accrued. The estimated liabilities are reduced to reflect the anticipated participation of other potentially responsible parties in those instances where it is probable that such parties are legally responsible and financially capable of paying their respective shares of relevant costs. For sites that involve formal actions subject to joint and several liability, these actions have formal agreements in place to apportion the liability.

The Company anticipates that cash expenditures in future periods for remediation costs at identified sites will be made over an extended period of time. Given the inherent uncertainties in evaluating environmental exposures, actual costs may vary from those estimated as of October 31, 2011. As of October 31, 2011 Greif estimated that payments for environmental remediation will be $8.5 million in 2012, $3.4 million in 2013, $1.5 million in 2014, $2.6 million in 2015, $1.7 million in 2016, and $11.6 million thereafter. The Company’s exposure to adverse developments with respect to any individual site is not expected to be material. Although environmental remediation could have a material effect on results of operations if a series of adverse developments occur in a particular quarter or year, the Company believes that the chance of a series of adverse developments occurring in the same quarter or year is remote. Future information and developments will require the Company to continually reassess the expected impact of these environmental matters.